


I'll Be the One To Protect You

by taralkariel



Series: Sequel Trilogy [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-25 10:04:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6190591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taralkariel/pseuds/taralkariel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo Ren is brought in to serve Leader Snoke, to finish the training for which he has sacrificed everything.  Rey brings Luke Skywalker back to the Resistance, and finds a new family to replace the one that abandoned her.  But sharing a connection with your opposite means both of them will have to decide who they really are - and who they're not.  (basically what I want Episode 8 to look like; not anymore shippy than TFA was)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Don't Fret, Precious, I'm Here - Step Away From the Window and Go Back to Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter titles from Pet by a Perfect Circle. I really like the yin and yang thing TFA introduced for Kylo Ren and Rey and wanted to explore what that might look like in future movies. I will post every day and I think the ending is REALLY good, so please stick around!

The Finalizer had survived the implosion of Starkiller Base and was on its way toward the hidden base of the First Order.  It was not fully manned – many soldiers had been lost in the destruction.  But several key officers had survived and General Hux had given a speech to his troops to remind them that this was merely a setback and that Supreme Leader Snoke would guide them to glorious victory over the Resistance.  They had, after all, destroyed the Republic with the weapon, depriving their enemies of much-needed resources.  And that would prove worth the sacrifice in the ensuing battles.

Morale was generally good on the ship, and Captain Phasma surveyed her people with pride.  They were decreased in numbers but not effectiveness, she thought.  She mourned the loss of the others, of course, as did everyone, but she had no doubt that they would defeat the dwindling Resistance soon enough.  It was with pleasure that she oversaw the repairs of their vessel, taking up double shifts herself to ensure everyone had their fair share of off-duty time to recover from both injuries and trauma.

General Hux was always on the bridge.  To those whose duties took them there, he was a silent specter, staring out the windows and waiting with taut energy.  It was not a short trip, and the officers found themselves on edge and wishing for some relief from his constant presence.  He had failed – the great weapon they had created, that he had prized, was destroyed.  And he was afraid of his reception.  Though he reasoned that he had followed Leader Snoke’s last order, at least thus far: bring Kylo Ren to him.  He had found the wounded and defeated younger man in the woods near the base before it imploded and picked him up.  And Hux was somewhat pleased to be brought before Snoke when he had been more successful than his rival.  How Ren was handling this he didn’t know – no one had seen him since they’d come on board.

 

When they arrived at the base, orbiting around the planet, Kylo Ren appeared by the shuttle bay where General Hux was waiting.  An immediate audience with Snoke had been granted, and Hux shouldn’t have been surprised that their leader would want to see both of them.  What was surprising was the fact that Ren was doing nothing to cover up his scarred face – presumably his helmet had been lost.  He was otherwise dressed as normal, while Hux was in his finest uniform.  Well, the finest he’d had aboard this ship, anyway.

Neither of them spoke as they were shuttled down to the planet and escorted to the audience chamber.  It had been a long time since Hux had been here, since, for security reasons, Snoke preferred to conduct interviews via hologram instead of in person.  He was one of the honored few to have ever personally seen their leader.  Which he considered a shame, given how much power the great man was capable of exhibiting if you were in his presence.

“Kylo Ren, General Hux, I am pleased to see you have both survived,” Snoke began gravely.  He was seated, watching them approach from across the large hall.  They came to a stop a few meters away, and Hux stood at attention.

“Thank you, Supreme Leader,” Hux said.  His companion was silent still, and he wondered vaguely if his injuries had affected his vocal cords.

“Report, General,” Snoke continued, and Hux dismissed irrelevant thoughts.

Clearing his throat, he stepped forward and snapped to attention again.  “Losses were severe.  A handful of TIE fighters and troop ships escaped the planet intact.  Our remaining forces leave the Finalizer at three-fourths capacity, and no other large craft were salvaged.  However, reports show that the Republic was completely destroyed and the Resistance has fled their base on D’Qar.  The rest of the galaxy will see the wisdom in joining us soon enough,” he stated confidently.

The scars on Snoke’s face twisted into a smile.  “Excellent.  Good work, General.  You’ve earned a rest.  You’re dismissed.”

Hux pushed away his disappointment at the brevity of the interview and focused instead on the praise offered to him.  It was rare enough.  “Thank you, sir,” he responded with a clipped bow and took his leave.  As he left the room he was aware of Snoke getting to his feet to approach Kylo Ren and decided he was glad to be elsewhere during whatever their leader had planned for his disgraced protégé.

 

Kylo Ren stood motionless while Hux spoke and was praised.  There was a twisting in his stomach that made it difficult to focus, and he put all his energy into remaining impassive and not fidgeting.  Whatever happened…  However their leader reacted to his failure, he would endure.  And do what needed to be done to make up for it.  He held onto that thought to carry him through his mentor’s displeasure.  His performance on Starkiller Base had been subpar and he had no doubt that Snoke could give him the guidance he needed not to fail again.  There was just this interview to survive first.

Hux was dismissed and Kylo Ren felt his muscles go rigid as Snoke got to his feet and walked slowly toward him.  “What are we trying to do here?” he asked very quietly while moving in a circle around his student.

“Defeat the Resistance.  Bring order to the galaxy,” Kylo replied stoically, without the vigor that Hux had shown earlier.  His hands curled into fists at his sides in anticipation of a violent reaction.

Snoke came to a stop in front of him and looked at him carefully.  “Are you unhappy with your position here?”  The voice was gentle, but the threat underneath it could not be missed.

“No, Leader.”

“Do you want the Resistance to succeed?”

“No, Leader.”

Cocking his head to the side, Snoke examined the scar on Kylo’s face.  “Do you want us to find the girl?”

“Yes, Leader,” Kylo answered after unflinchingly enduring the scrutiny of the physical evidence of his failure.  There was no point in lying – Snoke knew what he was thinking.  “She would be an extremely valuable asset,” he added, defending himself when Snoke smiled patronizingly.  It made him think of Hux’s disparaging remarks and he clenched his teeth.

“She would indeed.  But you can let me worry about that.  I think we have some work to do so you’ll be ready the next time you come face to face with her,” Snoke assured him soothingly.  “Especially if she has found Skywalker.”

“Yes, Leader.”  The relief was almost palpable in Kylo’s tone, and Snoke’s expression became a little kinder.

Turning away, Snoke returned to his seat.  “Get some rest.  You’ll need it.”

“Yes, Leader,” Kylo replied, and took his leave.  Snoke sat back and considered how best to address this new problem.

******************************************************************************

Rey couldn’t stop staring.  It was _Luke Skywalker_.  She’d heard about him and his exploits all the time – it was a story the dwellers of a desert planet had always enjoyed retelling.  Almost as much as they enjoyed sharing the daring feats of a famous smuggler, but she wouldn’t think about that now.  Anyway, the retellings became increasingly far-fetched each iteration, so she couldn’t be sure how much of what she’d heard was actually true.  She wanted to ask him everything, but didn’t know how.  Speaking to people outside of trade transactions was not a skill at which she was particularly well-versed.  Maybe that’s why she’d gotten along so well with Finn – neither of them were adept at regular conversations.  She hoped he’d woken up…

“So, what brings you here with my friends?” Luke asked, looking at her levelly.

The four of them – Luke, herself, R2, and Chewbacca – were seated in Luke’s home, sharing a meal.  After the resigned expression he’d given her, she had not been surprised when he had refused to take his lightsaber back.  Instead, he’d given her a nod that seemed to indicate that she should follow him as he headed down to the Millennium Falcon.  He had embraced Chewbacca and greeted R2 warmly, then invited them all in.  No one had thus far mentioned the tragic events that led to him being found, but she had the impression that he knew it all anyway.  So she was somewhat surprised by the question.

“I…  It’s a long story,” she offered apologetically, uncertain of where to begin.

He smiled gently.  “It always is.  Take your time.”  Leaning back against the wall behind him, he folded his arms and waited.

Curiosity at his robotic hand and how it worked flared, but she suppressed it.  There would be time later.  Maybe.  It was hardly appropriate now, anyway.  “I am a scavenger.  On Jakku.  I…  I met a droid, BB-8, and he was carrying the map to you.  We left on the Falcon with my friend Finn, who was a Stormtrooper.  He escaped the First Order and took a pilot named Poe Dameron out of their custody,” she began, noticing the look of recognition on Luke’s face when she mentioned Poe.  “Finn and I ran into… were picked up by Han Solo and Chewbacca.  They took us to Maz Kanata and I was … captured by K – by the First Order.  Finn – and Han Solo and Chewbacca – rescued me.”  She paused, staring into the middle distance.

“And then?” Luke prompted quietly.

Rey blinked, embarrassed, and continued.  “We were on the First Order’s base, and the Resistance attacked.  We helped, and it was destroyed.  Finn was… injured.  And I was sent to find you.”

Glancing over at the Wookie and the droid, Luke raised an eyebrow.  “Why you, Rey the scavenger?”

Taken aback by the question, she was relieved when Chewbacca answered for her, even if it made her blush a little to hear her praises.

“My lightsaber called to you?” Luke asked, directing his attention back to her.

“Yes.  I mean, I guess so.  That’s what Maz said.”

“Hmm.”  He seemed to stare into her and she tried not to think about how Kylo Ren had stared.  This wasn’t the same, of course, but most people tended to ignore her.  Not look at her like she was important.  “Chewie said you had already escaped when they found you.  Can you tell me how you did that?”

That was a hard question to answer, and she took a moment to consider how to put it into words.  “I was being questioned by Kylo Ren.  He was…  I don’t know what it’s called, but I was able to turn it back on him and see his thoughts.  Just for a moment.  Then he left me, and I thought I might, I don’t know, be able to do something like that again.  There was a guard, so I told him to free me and leave the door open.  It… it took a couple of tries, but it worked.”

To Rey’s surprise, Luke was smiling at her when she finished.  “You’ve had no training and you managed that?  Very impressive, Rey.  I can see why the Resistance would entrust you with finding me.”

She thought of how touching the lightsaber had felt, of the frightening images she’d seen, and considered again that she’d much rather have no part in this.  But could she really just return to Jakku to wait?  Maz was right – no one was coming back for her.  And she couldn’t just sit by and do nothing.

“The General insisted,” she offered humbly.  She had suggested that other, more skilled agents of the Resistance would be a better choice, but her tentative protests had been swept aside after General Organa had heard about what she could do.

“General?”  Chewbacca chimed in to answer Luke’s question and the latter grew pale.  “Leia?”

“Yes.”  His surprise and concern were strange and Rey didn’t know how to respond.

“What did my sister ask you to do?” Luke asked distantly.

“To bring you home,” she answered hesitantly.  Luke’s face looked pained and he turned away.  “Please.  We need you.  She said…  the General said you were her only hope.”

A sudden hint of pain drifted into her mind and she realized after a moment that it was Luke’s.  His shoulders hunched and he was silent for a long time.  She glanced at Chewbacca and then R2 but was unable to tell how she should proceed.  Though she could understand, to an extent, the spoken language of both, the subtleties of their communication were lost on her.

“I don’t think that’s true anymore,” Luke spoke at last, still staring out the door of his home, the pain she’d sensed evident in his voice.

Uncertain of what he meant, she kept her thoughts to herself.

“You’ve used the lightsaber?”  When Luke faced her, she was surprised by the kind expression on his face, almost successfully masking the heartache.

She cleared her throat.  “Yes, I – I had to.  Finn used it first.  We were trying to escape, and Kylo Ren was there, and we didn’t have any weapons, so…”  She trailed off.

“Both of you used it?”

 He seemed so incredulous.  “Yes.  I was thrown back into a tree and blacked out.  Finn used it to protect me.  And was almost killed.  When I woke up, I saw him go down.  Then… Kylo Ren reached out for it and I tried that, and it came to me instead of him.  I defended myself and Finn,” she said a little firmly, trying not to think about the way her assailant had looked at her when she’d left him, wounded and scarred, on a dying planet.

Luke shook his head slowly.  “And you won?  Against Kylo Ren?”

She noticed that his voice changed, almost imperceptibly, when he mentioned the name.  It was something to consider later.  “He was heavily injured but I don’t…  I don’t know how.  He told me he could teach me the Force, and then I knew what it was I’d been doing with the guard and with him.  And I remembered what Maz said about it, so I tried to tap into those feelings.  And I guess that worked,” she added with an embarrassed shrug.

There was silence while Luke processed this.  “Well, I think you could benefit from having someone teach you, and it is probably time for me to go home,” he said at last.

“You will teach me?” Rey asked, brightening.

He smiled at her.  “I haven’t taught anyone in a long time, but I would be honored to have you as a student.”

Blushing, she looked away.  “I’m just a scavenger,” she stated quietly, wondering at the enormity of all of this.  Mere days ago her biggest concern had been making a trade good enough to eat at night, and now…

“And I was just a moisture farmer.  Not a very good one, either,” Luke said with a self-effacing grin.  “I know it’s a lot to take in.  Why don’t we call it a day and we’ll worry about the galaxy in the morning.”

She smiled tentatively back and laughed when Chewbacca voiced his opinion.

Luke laughed, too – something he hadn’t done in a long time.  As he saw to his guests, he considered what he was getting into.  Returning to Leia was easy to consider compared to the thought of teaching a girl who, though untrained, had defeated his most powerful student.


	2. Lay Your Head Down, Child, I Won't Let the Bogeyman Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the positive feedback so far!

The quarters to which Kylo Ren was escorted were likely some of the finest in the base, though he didn’t much care.  What he did care about was the expanse of most of the base between them and the Supreme Leader – was that fool Hux also kept at a distance?  He reasoned that he didn’t know where Snoke was when he wasn’t in the audience chamber, and maybe that was closer to his present location.

In any case, the Stormtrooper who had led him here was relieved to go, and he was as relieved to be left alone.  After inspecting the space briefly, he settled himself on the floor of the main room and closed his eyes.  Meditating had been an important aspect of his training on both sides of the Force, and he always found it helpful.  It was just unfortunate that finding the time to do so was a challenge in the field.

But here was safe, and no one would be interrupting him to report problems.  No one would tell him that his simple orders couldn’t be followed, or that there was a new complication in the form of an extremely Force-sensitive girl.  He shook his head to dispel that line of thought and focused instead on the Force itself.  Snoke would help him, guide him, on how he should have handled the girl later.  Right now he needed to prepare himself for the training process.  His current state of frayed emotions and lack of direction were not conducive to learning.  And he had a lot to learn to keep from letting down his leader again.  Snoke could encourage the skills he would need the next time he faced something as unpredictable as the girl had been.

So he kept his eyes closed and let everything slip away.

 

Some unknown length of time later, he came back into himself, a feeling of calm filling his mind.  It had been a long time since he’d been in his leader’s presence, and he’d forgotten how it always made him feel less conflicted.  Getting to his feet, he headed for the bedroom, grateful that he might actually get some sleep for the first time since – well, since things hadn’t worked out the way he wanted them to.  Since he started seeing a familiar face near his whenever he closed his eyes.

 

He was awoken abruptly, drenched in sweat, the faces of those he’d killed still clouding his vision.  With a hiss, he surged to his feet to pace, running his hand through his hair in agitation, an attempt to drive the faces away.  What would the Supreme Leader say?  He’d remind him that they were at war, and casualties were a necessary part of any crusade.  Kylo was just doing what needed to be done to make the galaxy a better place.  He shouldn’t allow himself to be so haunted by it.  Everyone would come to understand, in time, the good work they were doing.

Only somewhat calmed by the imagined reassurances, he forced himself to sit on the floor again and close his eyes.  To let go of everything.  To forget who he used to be and the weakness he used to have.  His eyes had been opened and he couldn’t go back.  Whatever was left of Ben could not be allowed to trouble him anymore.

He did not manage to let go to the point of time passing unnoticed, but was able to steady his jangled nerves.  The nightmares had always been a greater problem when he had been idle, so he would have to leave his rooms and keep himself occupied.  Though he had thought the tension of the last few days would have kept his mind busy enough to avoid tormenting him at night, but he wasn’t going to dwell on it.

Instead, he got up and dressed in light-weight clothes before heading toward the training rooms.  The facility was only somewhat familiar to him, but he found what he was looking for without getting lost.  Not that he ever got lost – one of the perks of Force-sensitivity.  Another was being able to move across the base without being noticed and find a place to train that was empty.  He didn’t like the thought of any of the Stormtroopers or officers seeing him without his customary clothes.  And not having his helmet was already troubling enough – several people had seen him without that.  He probably needed a new one soon, ostensibly because it might save his life in battle, but really because he didn’t like to see his own face, let alone have others do so.

Pushing those worries away, he got to work.  It had been a long time since he’d been trained, and many things were rusty.  It was a necessary skill to be able to use pain and exhaustion to feed his powers.  The Light Side taught self-healing, but the Dark Side taught its students to focus on the animalistic instincts that kicked in when pain was extreme and use it to defeat their opponents.  Greater injury would, conversely, often be the mark of the victor.  The fact that this was not the case in his most recent battle was just indicative of his own inabilities to properly channel agony into power.

So he used the equipment available and worked his muscles until they screamed.  Until the scars on his chest felt as though they might rip open.  Until the pain was to the point that he couldn’t stand anymore.  Dropping heavily to his knees, he closed his eyes and pressed on the alarm bells going off in his head until all of it narrowed into a single point.  Then he stood up.  With a wave of his hand, every piece of equipment scraped across the hard floor and crashed into the wall, sparks flying.  The anger filling him was hard to tamp down, to keep from causing more destruction, but he managed.  His temper could be more of a weakness than a strength if he let it make him act rashly.

Taking a deep breath, he controlled his rage enough to move all the equipment back more or less where it came from with significantly less violence.  Before he could consider what to do next, there was a knock at the door.  His brow furrowed at the interruption, and staying in control was a challenge, but he waved a hand to open the portal.

“Sir, Supreme Leader Snoke requests an audience,” a nervous Stormtrooper stated, carefully keeping his gaze straight ahead and ignoring both the state of the room and its occupant.

“Fine,” Kylo Ren replied, and waved his hand again to shut the door abruptly.

He surveyed the room briefly before leaving, the coldness of fear replacing the rage.  Moving unobserved back his rooms was again not a challenge, and he spared only a small part of his mind for that task.  Mostly he considered what the meeting might entail.  Though he was expecting to be further trained by their leader, he did not expect another interview so soon.  If anything, he’d assumed Snoke would come to him when he had the time.  Not summon him.

Which is why he was going back to get cleaned up and change into what he thought of as a uniform.  It wasn’t like the other officers’, of course, but he understood better than most the importance of proper attire.  The Stormtrooper who’d delivered the message had been nervous and uncomfortable because he’d seen his superior in the midst of a moment more private than was preferable, not because he was afraid.  And that was a problem.

Once he’d dressed, pulled on boots and gloves and hood, he felt much better about walking down to the audience chamber.  He allowed himself to be seen this time, though he had some trepidation given his bare face.  But the new scar he was sporting almost made up for the lack of a mask.  The cauterization of lightsaber wounds gave immediate scars, so any passerby would not necessarily assume it was new.  They might think it was why he’d covered his face in the first place.  But he pushed the thought aside – it didn’t matter what they thought of him.  What did matter was what Snoke might ask of him.  That was worthy of his focus.

Just outside the chamber, he paused to take a deep breath, then went in.

******************************************************************************

_Han Solo’s face was bathed in red light and staring at her intently, beseechingly.  Her hands were on something – a lightsaber.  With horror, she felt herself ignite the blade and recoiled._

_Now she was sitting in front of a fire.  It was strangely familiar.  Her hand reached out to touch the droid – R2! – next to her.  Her hand was robotic and she marveled at how real it felt.  But her gaze turned toward the ashen ruins straight ahead, which she somehow knew had been a temple.  Everything was destroyed and she felt despair more intense than she ever had, in all those years of lying awake on Jakku._

It was enough to pull her back to consciousness and she sat up quickly, staring at the darkened room around her.  She was alone.  There weren’t any other thoughts in her head besides her own.  What was haunting other people shouldn’t be haunting her.  She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, wondering if Luke could teach her how to suppress all of this instead of increase her abilities.  She had always enjoyed the stories of the Rebellion and the magic and adventure they entailed, but preferred the second part.  For a lonely scavenger on a desert planet, adventure had seemed like enough of a stretch from her day-to-day.  Now to be part of all this…  Could things ever go back to how they were before?

A claustrophobic feeling overwhelmed her, and she got to her feet to rush out of the room and the house.  The night air was a relief and she paused to catch her breath – certainly not lost because of her running.  Pressing a hand to her chest, she listened to her heartbeat until it slowed to a more reasonable level, pacing across the ancient paving stones.  She wasn’t cut out for this, she thought a little frantically.  Who was she to be a student of _the_ Luke Skywalker?  To be sent by General Organa to find him?  To be piloting the Millennium Falcon after watching its original pilot be murdered?  Worse still, to be able to see the act through the eyes of the murderer – was it because she’d killed him that she had to endure his thoughts?  Or had he survived and was tormenting her?

“Rey?”

She whirled around and stared at Luke with wide eyes.  He looked haggard and worn as he tentatively approached her.

“What did you see?” he asked gently.

His insight shouldn’t have been so surprising, but she was greatly relieved that he understood her distress.  “I saw…  I saw when Han Solo… when he was killed,” she said haltingly, wrapping her arms around herself.

Noticing the action, he motioned for her to come back inside.  “I’m sure it’s cold compared to Jakku,” he said with the same smile he’d had when talking about his own upbringing.  She didn’t know where he was from, but moisture farms were common on Jakku, so it was reasonable to assume he was also raised on a desert planet.

“I’d rather not,” she replied with vehemence that surprised herself, glancing almost fearfully at the building.

“Alright.”  He walked closer to drop a cloak on her shoulders, then passed her to sit on the steps a few meters away.  “It’ll be easier if you talk about it,” he called back.

Talking did usually make her feel better, even if it was just to herself.  So she followed, some of the tension leaving her as she settled down a polite distance from the legend.  “Did you get them, too?” she asked softly.

He cocked his head at her, then looked out across the water.  “Still do.  But now it’s just the same one, over and over.”  Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to her.  “But I didn’t for a long time.  Just at the beginning, when I was unable to control what was connected to me.”

“So it can stop?”

He smiled at the hopefulness in her tone.  “Yes, once you’ve had some formal training.  It should be easy for you, given your natural aptitude.”

“Can you teach me now?”

A laugh escaped him, but it was gentle, not mocking.  “Maybe not.  But why don’t you tell me what you’ve seen and I may be able to help.  Is this the first time you’ve seen things like that?”

“No,” she whispered, staring intently at her feet.

“Take your time, Rey.”

How nice it was to have the chance to get her bearings before acting or speaking.  Taking a deep breath, she decided she’d better tell him everything – she didn’t know what most of it had meant, but he might.

“When I was on Takodana, in Maz’s castle, I heard a child screaming.  I followed the sound and found your lightsaber in a box.  When I touched it, I was… somewhere else.  It was some kind of hallway, there was mechanized breathing, and maybe someone else screaming.  I started to run, and then it twisted and I fell.  I saw R2 and – and a figure by a fire.”  She looked up at him.  “He had a mechanical hand.  Was it you?”

“It’s possible,” Luke said distantly.

Frowning a little at his response, she focused on what she could remember.  “Then it started to rain, and there was a figure above me.  Someone grabbed him and stabbed him with a lightsaber.  It was…  It was Kylo Ren, though I didn’t know at the time.”  She paused, glancing up to see the dour expression on Luke’s face.

“Continue, Rey,” he said with a reassurance that didn’t reach his eyes.

She looked down again, feeling chilled.  “He had men around him, six or seven, I think.  It was dark, so I’m not sure.  I stood up and he looked at me – and – and it seemed like he could really see me.  He started moving toward me and I hurried back.  Then I was on Jakku, being left with Unkar Plutt.  I could see him holding my arm as my family left.”  She pushed past that one without looking up and moved on.  “Then I was in the woods and the snow and suddenly Kylo Ren appeared from behind a tree, with his lightsaber.  I recoiled and fell out of the vision, I guess, because then I was in Maz’s castle again.”

Luke was silent, processing what she’d described.  He knew what some of it meant, she was certain.  She waited anxiously for him to tell her something, anything.  Anything that would make her feel better.

Finally, he stood up to pace.  “You saw all of this after touching the lightsaber?”

“Yes,” she answered, puzzled by how this seemed to worry him.

“There is a power, it’s very rare, almost unheard of.  It’s call psychometry, and it lets a Force-user see what has been done with an object.”

“What’s wrong with it?” she asked sharply when he didn’t continue.

Shaking his head to dispel his thoughts, he turned to focus on her again.  “Two things about this are troubling.  One, psychometry is … frowned upon for Light Side users because it gives the user visions that make them more susceptible to the Dark Side.”  He paused to put a hand on her shoulder.  “It is a valuable skill, and I’m sure you can learn to control it enough to avoid danger.”

She nodded shortly.  “What’s the other reason?”

“Because you saw things that were not related to the lightsaber.  What were you seeing when you woke up tonight?”

The intensity of the question disturbed her and she clenched her hands at her sides.  “I saw…  I saw Kylo Ren kill Han Solo.  But I was… I was him.  My hands were on the lightsaber.  It was… horrifying.  I think…”  She cleared her throat and Luke looked encouragingly at her despite the concern on his face. “I think I was feeling his horror, not just mine.  Then I pulled away and saw… saw the fire again from the Force vision.  Except this time I was looking at it, and R2 was next to me.  I was… you?”  The expression on his face convinced her that this was part of the nightmare he had over and over.

Luke swallowed hard, looking around in thought.  “I think we should leave this place.  Immediately.  Wake Chewie and R2 and I’ll get packed.”

“But, Luke,” she began, confused.

“Questions later, Rey.  We need to go.”

With a nod, she ran to do as asked.


	3. Pay No Mind What Other Voices Say, They Don't Care About You, Like I Do

Though he hadn’t expected it to be otherwise, it was still a relief to find that the room was empty save for Snoke himself.  Kylo Ren walked measuredly across it until he was standing at the usual distance from his teacher’s seat.  The latter did not look up as he progressed, but smiled at him when he came to a stop.

“Training, I see?”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke got to his feet, shaking out his robes briefly before stepping down the dais to look his student in the eye.  “Nightmares again?”

“Yes, Leader.”

“Hmm.”  The older man looked him up and down appraisingly.  “About your father?”

Kylo swallowed, but managed to keep all expression from his face.  “Among other things, Leader,” he answered almost dismissively.

“I see.  It seems you’ve put that energy to good use.  Your power is greatly increased since I last saw you.  Do you know how Han Solo came across the droid you were sent to apprehend?”

“No, Leader,” he replied, feeling sick.  He didn’t want to know.

Snoke was watching him carefully.  “Your nightmares brought you no new insight?”

“No, Leader.”

Shaking his head, Snoke returned to his seat.  “Perhaps next time.  If you are forced to relive things, it’s important to make use of that opportunity.”

“Yes, Leader.”

“I did not ask you give your report yesterday, as I sensed your level of distress.  Perhaps you would like to defend your actions today, now that you are back to yourself.”

Kylo Ren pressed his lips together and nodded curtly.  “If that is your wish, Leader.”

A smile twisted the scarred face.  “It is.”

“We found San Tekka but he had already sent the map with the Resistance’s envoy.  His village was made an example after we found the spy in their midst.  The usual methods did not prove effective in questioning him, so I provided my services.  I found that the map was with a droid, and gave Hux direction to fetch it.”

The anger in Kylo’s voice at the name of his rival was unfortunately too present for his liking and he paused to consider it.  “I will deal with the General,” Snoke put in reassuringly, his smile unkind.

“Yes, Leader.”  He cleared his throat before continuing.  “The droid escaped in the hands of one of our own and a girl on the Mil – on the Corellian freighter.  Our agents in the field reported back to us its location and I took command of the Finalizer to complete the mission.”

“One of our own?” Snoke asked, his polite tone covering some unspecified unpleasantness.

“A Stormtrooper, FN-2187.  He took our captive and escaped with him.”

Snoke leaned forward to look at Kylo carefully.  “You knew something of this traitor?”

It took an effort not to step back from the older man’s scrutiny.  “I… I felt something, some change on Jakku.  I did not realize –”

“Do you now?” Snoke cut in harshly.  “Do you now realize what your inaction has wrought?  We have lost our weapon and many of our people because of the chain of events begun by this desertion.  Do you now realize how you might have prevented all of it?”

“Yes, Leader,” Kylo murmured, hands shaking as he stared intently at the ground by Snoke’s feet.

“Good.  It is important to learn from our mistakes, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke settled back, calmer now.  “Forgive my interruption.  Please continue with your report.”

Used to these changes in mood, Kylo Ren nodded and did as asked, though his gaze did not leave the spot on the floor.  “They were found on Takodana, and our troops secured the castle.  I went after the girl and the droid, who had fled to the woods.  She was protecting it, and I … questioned her about its location.  I saw that she had seen the map herself, and the men reported that the Resistance had arrived to protect their assets.  Continuing to search for the droid would have caused a greater loss in our soldiers, so I chose to take her instead.”  He tensed, prepared for another onslaught.

“That is not the unreasonable decision the General would have me believe,” Snoke offered gently.

“Thank you, Leader.”

Kylo dared to glance up but was not particularly relieved by the expression on the other man’s face, so turned his attention elsewhere.  “What other course of action should you have undertaken?”

The question was not unanticipated and Kylo Ren was relieved to be able to respond.  “A small contingent should have been left to search out the droid, whether of my own men or one of our agents already on the planet.  I myself could have stayed while the girl and most of our men were conveyed to safer locations.”

“And why were these options ignored in the moment?  Do we need to work on your reaction time?”

“No, Leader,” he answered quickly.  “Or… perhaps, Leader, if you feel that is necessary. But I allowed myself to be distracted by the Force-capability I sensed in the girl, and that unfortunately changed my priorities.”

Snoke actually seemed pleased.  “And why is it unfortunate?”

“Because the Resistance is doubtless on its way to find Skywalker and he could prove a formidable enemy if we have not secured power when he returns.”

“Excellent analysis.  Continue your report.”

Surprised at the praise, Kylo hastened to do so.  “I took the girl on board the Finalizer and … sought to retrieve the map.  I was not successful.”

“I see.”  Snoke was looking at him searchingly, but Kylo worked to keep his face from giving away the reality of how that interrogation had gone.  He’d been sloppy and not intent on the mission, and he didn’t need Snoke to walk him through what he should have done instead.

“I sought your counsel and that is when she… managed to escape,” Kylo pressed on before Snoke could ask anything.  “She was testing her powers and made good use of them to avoid notice.  Han Solo and the traitor arrived on the base, working for the Resistance.”

“How long did it take you to find them?”

Knowing where this was going, Kylo took a deep breath.  “Too long, Leader.”

“And why is that?  Could you not sense your father’s presence?  Were you delaying what I told you was necessary?”

“No, Leader.”

Snoke settled back to look down at him almost pityingly.  “Then what?”

“I was focused on finding the girl before she caused any more trouble.  Once I knew my f – Han Solo was nearby, I gathered a squad to see what purpose he had on our base.  Perhaps he found the girl while we were searching.”

“What makes you think that?”

He paused, uncertain.  “I sensed when he arrived, but lost track of him for a while.  She was effectively shielding herself from me, and that may have spread to him.  Until they separated and I was able to find and confront him.”

“What did he say to you?” Snoke asked quietly, leaning forward.

“That I… that he wanted me to return with him, and that I shouldn’t put my trust in you, Leader,” he said slowly.

“And did you doubt me?”

“No, Leader,” he answered vehemently.

Snoke smiled at him.  “Excellent.  And then you found it in you to kill him?”

“Yes, Leader.”

“I know it was a challenge, but a necessary sacrifice.  You will have the power you will need to help us bring the galaxy to its former glory.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke stood again and stepped down to put his hand on Kylo’s shoulder.  “You did well.  Let it add to your power, not threaten it.  I have things I must deal with in person, but I have faith in your ability to overcome these things while I am gone.  And we will commence your training in earnest when I return.”

“Yes, Leader.”

After Snoke patted his shoulder, dismissing him, Kylo Ren returned to his quarters, considering what he still needed to do to prove himself.

******************************************************************************

Rey was afraid.  Most of her life had involved suppressing fears, but this was different.  She wasn’t afraid of starving, or having her hard-won and few possessions taken, or of never seeing her family again.  Returning to the Resistance would at least mean food was readily available, and, though her possessions were even fewer than on Jakku, she had little cause to worry about keeping them.  And her family…  Well, Maz had told her to let go of that idea, to give in to the gnawing realization she had been fighting all these years.

No, what caused her fear this time was new and unknown and so outside her realm of expertise that she was greatly relieved to have the distraction of piloting the Falcon.  Otherwise she might have seized up and rocked back in forth in terror until Luke explained himself.  And gave her some kind of cure.  Because she really did not want this.

To touch an object and read its past could be useful, and perhaps had some influence on her talent with electronics.  She’d had a gift as long as she could remember with fixing them up and getting them to work again.  And though she’d put together a simulator to practice flying years ago, it probably shouldn’t have been quite this easy to adjust to actually piloting in space.

But Luke had been very concerned about this ability, and referred to the Dark Side.  Maz had said the only fight was against the Dark Side, but she couldn’t remember anyone else ever discussing it with her.  Except maybe that’s what Han had meant when he said one of Luke’s students destroyed everything and that’s why Luke had exiled himself.  It would explain Luke’s distress about her showing an aptitude for such a power.

When she’d left Jakku, which felt like a very long time ago, but was mere days, she had been excited.  The thrill of flying the Falcon and actually going into space had been shared by Finn, and they had bonded over the new experience.  Meeting Han and escaping his freighter had been frightening, yes, perhaps more so than fleeing the First Order on Jakku, but it was still amazing to be on the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo himself.

Then things got bigger and scarier and she saw Finn wanted to run.  He had good reason to, if he’d been in the First Order before.  Given how she’d seen them treat everyone else, she could only imagine what they’d do to a traitor.  Still, she’d been willing to put aside her vigil for her family in order to get BB-8 to safety, to get the map to Skywalker into the right hands.  That was important.

But then she’d seen things, things she shouldn’t have, when she’d touched the lightsaber, and she understood Finn’s desire to flee.  To get away from all of this – she was just a scavenger on a desert planet, he was just a former Stormtrooper – what could they do to offer these legends?  BB-8 followed her, though, and she knew that, while the powers at work might be outside her understanding, she could still do something.  At least get BB-8 back to a ship when the First Order arrived.

Maz’s castle was overrun and she didn’t know what had happened to Finn or Han or Chewbacca, so she banked on the woods for safety.  She was wrong.  It was good that she’d sent BB-8 on ahead, but then she saw a figure from a nightmare.  He was impossibly tall and all in black and shooting at him had no effect.  Except maybe to make him lose his patience.  He’d paralyzed her and invaded her mind and none of the stories she’d heard could have prepared her for this.

When she woke up in a cell, he was there.  He was there and in her head and knew her secret thoughts.  But she hadn’t been afraid anymore – she’d been angry.  The fate of her friends was unknown, and she wasn’t going to let them die in vain, if that’s what happened.  BB-8 had escaped or he wouldn’t be asking her, so, as long as she held out against him, the Resistance might yet be able to find Luke before the First Order did.

So when he moved back to use more of his power on her, to see what he wanted, she focused on that connection.  And, somehow, managed to follow it back and see what he feared.  It had seemed like a victory at the time, but what if it had tied them together in a way that was unescapable?  What if she was doomed to forever see his darkest thoughts?  Surely there was a way to break this…  But Luke’s reaction made her deathly afraid that there wasn’t.  Especially when leaving him for dead on an imploding planet hadn’t been effective.

Chewbacca’s voice brought her back to the present, and she gave him a relieved smile.  “You’re right, definitely best to focus on flying.”

He nodded at her, then glanced back behind them before lowering his voice.

“No, I don’t know why Luke was in such a hurry that I had to wake you in the middle of the night.  We were just talking, and I guess he got worried.”

He considered this before questioning her gently.

With a sigh, she focused on the controls in front of her.  “I had a nightmare.  I…  I saw Han die,” she whispered.

A furry hand rested heavily on her shoulder, and she offered him a weak smile.  His expression wasn’t as readable, but she could tell he was worried about her.  It was a relatively new situation and she wasn’t sure how to react to it.

“I’m sure Luke can fix it,” she told him, as much to convince herself as him.

He agreed enthusiastically, and they turned their attention back to flying.

The Resistance base had moved from D’Qar to another system.  There was an asteroid belt to cross to reach it – a security precaution, and it took some concentration to get through unscathed.  It wasn’t a very dense belt, and Chewbacca told her a story about when he, Han, and Leia had successfully navigated a much more challenging one while escaping the Empire.

It was a nice distraction from her thoughts, and she was delighted to hear the tale.  It wasn’t one she had heard before, and hearing it from someone who was there made her start thinking this was all worth it.  To be part of something like this, to know these legendary figures as actual people, was far more than she had ever expected from life and she was grateful.

“That sounds very impressive.  I’d hate to have to deal with those mynocks – they sound almost as bad as Rathtars!”

Chewbacca laughed at that, and told her he’d much prefer to run into more mynocks.

She wrinkled her nose.  “Certainly less immediately deadly, but chewing on power cables in a fairly large problem when you’re in space,” she offered.

The Wookie agreed with that assessment, and turned to see about their descent onto the planet.  Rey fought back a feelings of nervousness wholly unrelated to her nocturnal fears.  What if Finn was still unconscious?  What if he wasn’t?  What could she say to him?  What should she say?  She missed him, but they were no longer in the midst of an onslaught of pressing decisions, so was afraid on their reunion being more uncomfortable silence than anything else.

  The process of locating the new base, identifying themselves before making their approach, and finding a place to land was enough to take her mind off of her worries.  Finally, they set down on the duracrete near the rest of the fleet.  She exchanged a pleased look with Chewbacca, and headed toward the back.

“Here already?” Luke asked, turning from where he was staring at the dejarik board, sounding very far away.

“Yes.”  She would have said more, but didn’t want to disturb him.

Nodding, he pulled himself away, patted R2, and stopped abruptly as he stared at the door.  Sensing that he was balking, Rey stepped closer to him and tried to look encouraging.

“Come on,” she said gently, holding out her hand.  He looked grateful as he took it, and they made their way off of the ship together.


	4. Safe From Pain and Truth and Choice and Other Poison Devils

The island again – surrounded by an ocean.  It was peaceful there, but melancholy.  He didn’t like seeing it.  The vision wasn’t his and he didn’t want it.  But he endured, resolving to follow Snoke’s advice.  If he had to see something, there was probably a reason or at least something he could learn from it.

Something was different this time.  There was – something.  Something white at the base of the hills.  A ship.  A familiar ship.

Kylo Ren pulled himself abruptly back to his present, to his quarters on the First Order base far from where Skywalker was in exile.  Far from an old Jedi Temple that might be helping provide the guidance his former master needed to overcome the Supreme Leader.  The girl had seen the island, frequently.  That was troubling.  He had been seeing it since interrogating her but he had assumed it was a reminder of his failure, not actively happening.

If the girl had gone to Skywalker…  If she had found a teacher…  Then he had his work cut out for him to survive their next encounter.  Whatever had stopped her from killing him before would likely have been trained out of her before Skywalker let her face him alone.  And he felt he had a pretty good idea of how his old master might react to his most recent exploits.

He was startled by a crashing sound and became aware that everything not bolted down around him was levitating unsteadily.  Frowning briefly at the glass that had fallen, he got abruptly to his feet and left.

The corridors twisted around the base and he’d walked for some time before paying attention to his surroundings.  He was near the training rooms but had no interest in entering them today.  What he was capable of was already known to him – he needed assistance to reach a higher level of control.  Especially if meditation was going to be more detrimental than useful now.

When he reached a hangar bay, he came to a stop, looking wistfully at the efforts being made to keep the ships in working order.  Everything requires constant upkeep, he thought.  What would Skywalker teach the girl?  What kind of teacher would he be now?   Or would he refuse and remain in exile?  That didn’t seem likely.  Not when the First Order had destroyed a whole system – the Capitol of the Republic itself.  If anything would bring Skywalker out of hiding, it was that.  And the added circumstances of a Force-capable new student and the loss of – of his friend all but guaranteed the old Jedi returning to the fight.

Snoke had built a powerful Order, filled with fanatical officers and soldiers trained since birth.  Their resources were much more plentiful than the Resistance’s had been even when they had the dubious support of the Republic. Their craft were newer and state-of-the-art while the Resistance relied on retrofitted fighters from as far back as the Rebellion.  Even if Starkiller Base had been destroyed, its work had been an effective recruitment tool.  Some systems would be shocked and horrified, but others would see the wisdom in joining a movement that could wield that kind of power.  So Snoke felt he had little to fear from the return of the Last Jedi.

He was wrong.  Skywalker had brought the Empire to its knees when he was a scarcely-trained youth, and only in part because of the weakness of his father.  He was a formidable enemy and having a powerful ally like the girl would more than make up for any diminishing as a result of age.  In all likelihood, his exile had made him more in tune with his abilities, and his resolve would be strengthened if he returned.  When he returned.  And, if he joined forces with his sister…  Then Kylo Ren would have to live up to Snoke’s expectations.  Or die in the attempt.

Watching the squads working below, he considered how little they knew of their fates.  How just enough information was fed to them to keep them loyal and motivated to defeat the hateful Resistance.  He had no such luxury – not when he could see beyond what happened in their base, not when he could sense what his – what those he’d once been close to were doing.  Snoke had brought him in for his invaluable resources, both involving the Force and from his upbringing.  And he did his best to serve.  There was little he could do about Skywalker’s return anyway, he reasoned.  And Snoke would know of it soon enough…

“Sir?”

Turning toward the interruption, he saw that it was Captain Phasma again.  He had not expected her to leave the Finalizer.  Or have a reason to address him, for that matter.  “Yes?” he asked, effectively keeping his puzzlement from showing.  Having nothing to cover his face was taking some getting used to.

“One of the ventral cannons was damaged in our escape.  A new shipment of crystals has just arrived to aid in repairs.  With the Supreme Leader still gone, General Hux thought that you might be available to render assistance,” she stated emotionlessly.

Kyber crystals had been used to power the cannons on the Finalizer – a show of strength that merely hinted at the greater weapons Snoke and Hux had always been planning.  Even the destruction of Starkiller didn’t seem to have deterred them.  If Hux had any Force-sensitivity, Kylo would have reason to be very concerned about his status in the Order.  As it was, the crystals were most effective when a Force-user was the one to manipulate them into place.  With Snoke and the other Knights of Ren away, it fell to him, even if he wasn’t pleased to follow the orders of a rival.

“Let’s go,” he told her and led the way to one of the shuttles in the hangar bay.

“I can fetch a pilot, sir,” she offered, lingering as he climbed the ramp.

He paused to consider then glanced back at her appraisingly.  “That won’t be necessary.”  Her disapproval was palpable but she didn’t say anything as she followed him to the cockpit.  When he dropped into the pilot’s seat, wincing slightly at the action’s effect on his wounds, she stood back awkwardly.

Ignoring her, he studied the array of controls before him and took a deep breath.  It had been a long time since he’d piloted anything and he was somewhat surprised by the sudden desire to do so.  But he wasn’t going to dwell on that now.  Instead, he focused on the correct procedure to initiate a takeoff.  That was a success, and joining the Finalizer’s orbit of the planet was no more difficult.  A tractor beam pulled them in, so docking wasn’t an issue.  He surrendered controls, a slight feeling of disappointment washing over as he got to his feet and made his way off the shuttle, Phasma at his heels.

The waiting officer was startled to see him, and looked only slightly relieved by Phasma’s presence.  “Sir, we were not told,” she began.

“The crystals,” he prompted, aware of how she and the others present were carefully not looking at his face.

“This way, sir,” Phasma said, marching passed him.

He glanced at the officer, who ducked her head and stepped back, before following the Captain.  As they traversed the sizeable ship, he considered what Snoke might say about his insistence on piloting his own shuttle.  The ability to do so was a necessity, of course – only low-ranking Stormtroopers were unable to pilot at least a few ships.  But maintaining the distance between himself and those who worked under him was important, and one of the reasons for his usual attire.  He wasn’t an officer of the First Order.  He was not part of their hierarchy.  He reported only to Leader Snoke.  This caused some confusion in terms of who had to answer to him, but Hux was probably the only one who would protest.

“Here, sir,” Phasma stated, waving toward the weapon.  It had been brought inside and a storage container for the crystals was resting nearby.  After indicating the required tools, the Stormtrooper Captain walked a few paces away to await any further orders.

Foregoing the tools, Kylo Ren took the opportunity to practice his skills by opening the device and removing the broken crystal without the use of his hands.  Careful not to touch the new crystal, either, he managed to keep his concentration long enough to fit it into place.  Surveying his work carefully, he allowed a small smile to cross his face despite the way it hurt his scar.  Then he got to his feet and swept passed Phasma.  “Finished,” he said shortly.  She didn’t answer and he was shuttled down to the base in obedient silence.

******************************************************************************

A small crowd had gathered around the Falcon while they had lingered inside.  R2 and Chewbacca followed Luke and Rey, and the latter was comforted by the presence of those she knew.  Never before had she had so much attention paid to her.  It was a relief to see that Luke was no more at ease than she was, and both of them searched the crowd briefly.

“Come with me, please,” a blond woman said, with a small smile of greeting.  Somewhat to her surprise, Luke was still holding Rey’s hand.  She didn’t pull away as they followed the young woman inside one of the nearby buildings.  The corridors were twisting and randomly had crates piled against its walls.  Leaving here might prove a challenge, she thought with some concern.  Not that she planned to escape or anything – it was just more claustrophobic than she would have preferred.

They were escorted to a small audience chamber and Rey noticed that R2 had disappeared.  Troubled, she glanced at Luke and Chewbacca to see if they were concerned.  The former was clearly lost in thought and the latter was harder to read, so she just chewed on her lip and waited.  Finally, the door opened and the General appeared in its frame.  Her expression made Rey wish she were elsewhere for this reunion.

“Luke,” General Organa said softly, voice cracking.

“Leia,” Luke replied almost breathlessly, holding very still and staring at her dumbstruck.

Chewbacca greeted the General as well, and that seemed to have broken the tension, because the siblings smiled.  General Organa stepped forward to embrace the Wookie and, after a barely noticeable pause, turned to embrace her brother.  Rey and Chewbacca exchanged embarrassed looks as it was some time before they moved apart.

“You didn’t have to leave,” the General told him, an unexpected gentleness softening the reprimand.

“How could I face you after… after what happened?” Luke answered achingly.

General Organa closed her eyes, then turned toward Rey.  “I am glad you were successful, child.  No trouble finding us again, I hope?”

“No, ma’am.”

She waved a hand.  “No need for that.  Leia is fine, after what you’ve done for my family.”

A hesitant smile crossed Rey’s face and she resisted the urge to protest.  What she’d done hardly seemed helpful.  If it weren’t for her running away and getting herself captured, Han might…

“Forgive me for not greeting you outside.  I hadn’t expected you so early,” Leia explained to the three of them, sounding more like herself.

“We were in a hurry,” Luke responded, also seeming more or less back to normal.  His expression was grim.

Leia picked up on this immediately, and motioned them toward the couches in the room.  “Tell me everything.”

Tentatively taking a seat a polite distance from the legendary siblings, Rey bit her lip and waited for Luke to answer.

“Rey has more natural ability than anyone I have encountered,” Luke said without preamble.  Leia gave Rey an encouraging smile, perhaps sensing how this assessment distressed her.

“And that’s why you fled a Jedi Temple for a war zone?” Leia asked, politely incredulous.

Chewbacca expressed his agreement with the ill-advised nature of their relocation, and Luke almost smiled.  “She is very sensitive to the Force, and being in a place where it is so strong was a challenge for her.  It will be better here,” he stated.

Leia frowned at him.  “What aren’t you telling me?  You’re afraid, Luke.  I can’t protect you if I don’t know why.”

Unable to hold her gaze, he stared at his feet.  Rey glanced between the two of them, then awkwardly looked elsewhere.  “I had a nightmare and she could see it.  And mine wasn’t the only one she saw,” he explained slowly.

Leia stiffened.  “I see.”

To Rey’s consternation, both of them turned to look at her.  “Tell her about your vision, Rey,” Luke said gently.

She took a deep breath, not relishing the experience of reliving the confusing and upsetting sights.  “I saw… a hallway and heard mechanical breathing.  Then I… saw Luke with R2 near a fire.  There were ashes in the air, I think.  Then I – I was in the rain and a man behind me was killed by a figure holding a red lightsaber.  He looked at me and seemed to see me – really see me, so I tried to run away.  And was back on Jakku for a moment.  Then I was in the forest, and he was there again,” she explained haltingly.

“Had you been any of those places before?” Leia asked, leaning forward intently.

She shook her head, disappointed in herself.  Then she frowned.  “The forest was very similar to the one on Starkiller Base, where I fought him.”

This was important, apparently, because Luke and Leia exchanged a look.  “With the lightsaber?” Luke asked.

“Yes.”  Whatever they were thinking, they seemed to be on the same page while she was quite lost.  After waiting a moment to see if they would share, she attempted to draw them out.  “Who is he?  Kylo Ren.  Why do we… why do I keep seeing him?”

Luke looked at his sister until she gave him a pained nod.  “He was my student.  Before he turned.  Because of him, there are very few of us left in the galaxy.  It sounds like he’s the reason you were able to start using your abilities, and that seems to have formed a connection.  But that doesn’t explain why you saw him when you touched the lightsaber before you… were captured.  I haven’t heard of psychometry involving the future as well as the past, but that knowledge may have been lost when the Jedi Order fell.  Seeing glimpses of the future is not that rare of a skill.” 

Pausing to put some thought into what he would say next, Luke looked at Rey appraisingly.  “Force-users learn early on to shield themselves from each other, since we can all access that connection.  It’s possible that he hasn’t been since it wasn’t necessary for a long time.  I have kept myself shielded as well, but your physical proximity may have caused you to be able to pick up on some of my thoughts.  Not to mention the power of the Temple and its effect on your capabilities.”

“So you can just teach me to shield myself and this won’t happen again?” Rey asked hopefully.

Luke and Leia exchanged another look and it was not comforting.  “I hope so, Rey,” he said quietly.  “But this shouldn’t be possible.  I’ve never heard of an untrained novice being able to not only defend against an attack but turn it back on another, especially one as powerful as Be – Kylo Ren.  I think there is more at work than we can understand right now.  But I will teach you what I can.  For now, your powers will not be as strong here, so hopefully you won’t have to worry.”

Rey processed this and fought the desire to run again.  This was her choice, and she wouldn’t abandon these people.  If she was the only one who could hope to defeat Kylo Ren, if she was as powerful as Luke seemed to think, then she would do what needed to be done.  She just hoped she wouldn’t have to feel more from his perspective in the meantime.

“Is it an attack?” she asked suddenly.

“What makes you think that?” Leia asked, concerned.

“I… hurt him.  Left him for dead.  I’m not even sure if he survived.  Maybe this is just revenge for what I did,” she murmured.  “I’ve never…  I’ve never killed anyone before.”

Leia reached over to take her hand.  “You still haven’t.”

“How do you know?” Rey asked, searching her face.

Closing her eyes, Leia squeezed her fingers with a slight wince.  “I know.  I know he’s alive.  You did what you had to do.”

“I’m sure, if it were intentional, that he would have you relive some distressing memory of your own, not his,” Luke added, a mix of pain, sadness, and an attempt of reassurance passing over his face.

Leia nodded in agreement, then stood up.  “Come on, Rey.  We will do what we can to help you, but I think getting your mind on other things is a good first step, don’t you?”

Before Rey could offer her opinion, the General was leaving the room and Rey was hastening to follow her.  She was aware that their companions did not join them, but put her attention toward the labyrinthine hallways in the hopes of being able to return on her own later.  Finally, they reached their destination – a hastily-assembled medical bay.  Leia gave her a smile and stepped aside to let her enter alone.

“Finn!” she cried, delighted to see him awake, and rushed to his side.

He smiled at her.  “Rey.  They told me you’d be back.”


	5. See, They Don't Give a Fuck About You Like I Do

Neither the island nor his former master invaded his meditation today, and that made it much more effective.  When he’d returned to himself, he remained on the floor, considering the peace he felt.  It was a rare feeling.  There wasn’t anything he could do to prolong the sensation, though, so he got to his feet and dressed in his usual robes.  Then he headed for the training rooms.

Snoke was still attending to whatever it was for which he felt himself needed, and Kylo Ren was struggling with his impatience.  There was only so much he could do on his own without further guidance.  But what he could do was practice his lightsaber skills.  Snoke would tell him that he had allowed them to fall out of second nature, that he should never has stopped practicing.  But other things had pressed on his time, and there was little substitute for facing off against an actual opponent.  Which was a rare thing these days.

There were droids available for sparring, and he used one of the Stormtroopers’ weapons to arm the machine.  It would have been more useful to fight a soldier than a droid, but he had a feeling he would have to go through some kind of protocol to get someone.  And then he’d have to hold back to keep the person mission-ready.  So, for now, this would do.

He did not think about other droids he had known who had significantly more personality than this one.  He did not think about how those droids had been as much a part of his family as Ch – as the Wookie had been.  He did think about how much it hurt when the traitor landed a blow to his shoulder.  And how much more so when the girl had driven him back and kicked him down while giving him some scars that still ached.

That was a much better place to be in, and he was angry as he ignited his lightsaber.  It was unstable, the crystal inside cracked.  But not broken, just struggling to contain the excess power.  He could have replaced it with a new crystal easily.  But this one was important to him and he hoped Snoke wouldn’t insist.  He’d long since stopped being in danger of burning his hands and it hadn’t shown any weaknesses against the Skywalker blade.  So there wasn’t any real reason to change except that Snoke might prefer it to look better.

A long time ago, there had been schools to teach padawans how to use this weapon.  Hundreds of children had learned to defend themselves with burning plasma.  And later learned how to fight with it.  The techniques treated the saber as a slashing weapon, often relying on amputation to defeat an opponent.  He’d always considered that to be a strangely vicious method, and was skeptical of how an entire Order of Light Side users could employ such a style so cavalierly.

When he’d fought with the traitor, he had burned the other man’s shoulder using the vents on his lightsaber.  It was uncivilized and not the intent of the weapon, the nature of which was designed to deflect blasters, not sear flesh.  But perhaps the excuse for severing a limb was that it immediately cauterized and there was no danger of the opponent bleeding out.  As if that was the only concern.

Burning would have little effect on the droid, so he did not attempt it.  Starting with Shii-Cho to get his bearings, he soon progressed through the others with which he was familiar.  He had been taught that there were seven methods, but the masters of those techniques had been killed long ago.  And the records had mostly been destroyed.  The Imperial Archives had been salvaged by the early First Order.  Whether or not Snoke had been part of this, Kylo didn’t know.  What he did know was that very little records from as far back as the Jedi Order had survived the two regime changes.

His preferred method was once called Niman, the sixth form of combat.  It featured a liberal use of Force-pushes and pulls, and always seemed more natural to him than relying only on fencing.  Perhaps because his telekinetic abilities had been evident from a very early age, so this felt like an extension of himself instead of learning a new skill with a disconnected weapon.

Switching the blade to his left hand, he used his right to gather power and throw the droid back against the wall with enough force to break it.  Stepping out of the proper stance, he let his arm fall to his side and frowned at the bent metal in disappointment.

“Very effective,” a voice behind him to the left caused him to jump.

“Yes, Leader,” he agreed, turning around to bow his head slightly.

Snoke smiled at him, then looked passed him.  “You need a better opponent,” he stated.

“Yes, Leader.”

The head of the Order walked back to the door and beckoned toward something outside of Kylo’s line of sight.  “I’ve brought you something.  Not perfect, of course, but perhaps helpful when I can’t be around to train with you,” he said over his shoulder.

His muscles tensed and he swung his lightsaber around to stay loose as five droids came into the room.  Two were armed with melee weapons like the one he’d just destroyed, while the others relied on blasters – he sensed they used kyber crystals for power.  That was new.  The material of which they were made was stronger than usual as well.

“Where did you find them?” he asked as he returned to his stance.

Snoke stood back out of the way, looking pleased with himself.  “I commissioned them.  We will start with one.”

A nod from the leader caused the largest of the droids to start forward, brandishing its weapon.  Kylo waited until it was close before expending his energy to parry its attack – he knew from experience that this session was unlikely to end before either he or his opponents were unable to continue.  Blocking easily with his left hand, he used his right to push it away.  It was heavier than the other one, but that was no real challenge.  When it struck one of its fellows, Snoke gave another nod.

The new droid began shooting at him and he was able to deflect the blasts while sparing enough attention to watch the first one.  They worked well in tandem, and his attempts to maneuver the first into the line of fire of the second did not pay off immediately.  One lucky shot grazed his hand, and he reacted – both went flying across the room with a crash while Snoke frowned slightly.

Shaking his head a bit to keep his focus, he concentrated on the humiliation of his last defeat, on the pain of his wounds, on his anger and disappointment.  Likely sensing this, Snoke sent all five droids this time.  Shots were flying around him and he twisted and swung his blade, using it and his free hand to protect himself.  Some blasts he deflected, others were pushed back toward his assailants.

Brow furrowed with concentration, he snarled when one droid managed to land a blow on his knuckles.  His carefully contained rage broke loose and he turned abruptly toward the others, extending his right hand to freeze them and their weaponry in place.  Then he faced the one who had struck him.  When it, too, was frozen, he buried his lightsaber into its center coldly.  Another push toward the rest and they flew back.

His breathing was measured as he turned toward Snoke, expecting a reprimand.

“Perhaps not such a good substitute, after all,” the older man said with a cool smile.  “Your anger is a source of power, but you must keep it under control.  This was thorough and you are improving, but a stronger opponent may find a weakness in your blind rage.”

“Yes, Leader.”  He’d heard that before.

“It seems we have some work to do before you leave.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke stepped over to the impaled droid and looked at it thoughtfully.  “Neatly done.  Let’s start again.”

“Yes, Leader.”

******************************************************************************

Taking Finn’s hand, Rey couldn’t stop smiling.  “I thought you were – that you might have been,” she began to confess.

Wincing slightly, he sat up and returned her expression.  “I’m fine, Rey.  Well, maybe not fine.  But I should be on my feet soon, they tell me.  I was hoping to be up by the time you got back,” he added almost shyly.

“I thought it would take longer,” she admitted.

The silence that followed was somewhat awkward, and she cast about for something to say.

“Where did you go?” he asked before she could think of anything.

Surprised, she shifted her weight and wondered if it wasn’t supposed to be common knowledge.  “We finished the map and I was sent to bring back Luke Skywalker,” she told him, voice hushed just in case.

His eyebrows raised.  “Why you?  I mean, not that you aren’t capable,” he corrected himself quickly and she grinned.

“Well, I tried to tell them there were better pilots available, but,” she shrugged.

His laugh turned into a cough and her expression sobered.  “I’m fine,” he insisted, when she started forward to do something – though she didn’t know what would help.

“Hmm,” was her noncommittal response as she settled back again.  “Finn, there’s… there’s something different about me,” she said, needing to tell someone, needing to get some kind of response from a regular person.  Not from legends and myths.

Finn’s concern was immediate and he looked so worried that she almost smiled.  “What’s happened?” he wanted to know.

“I… I can use the Force.  Really well, apparently,” she whispered, embarrassed.

“You can?”  He considered this, and she was relieved he was serious about it.  “Since when?”

Licking her lips, she looked around them thoughtfully.  “It might be a long story, Finn.  And I’m sure you need rest.  I just… I wanted to tell a – someone I knew,” she finished lamely.

He smiled at her reassuringly.  “I feel fine, like I said.  And it’s always nice to talk to… someone you know.”

“Alright.  Just let me know if you need anything,” she told him firmly and he nodded obediently.  “When I – when you were going to leave, I felt something calling to me.  I found the lightsaber and, when I touched it, I saw things.  I don’t know what they mean – no one seems to.  But I was frightened by it and ran away.  Then, when I was captured and being questioned, I was able to turn it back on him and read his thoughts, just for a moment.”

“Kylo Ren’s?” Finn asked in disbelief, frowning slightly.

“Yes.”

He processed this for a moment.  “What was he thinking?” he wondered, sounding mystified.

Pressing her lips together, she frowned at the memory.  “He’s afraid,” she said simply.

That brought a surprised laugh from the former Stormtrooper.  “Sorry, but we always made sure to steer clear of him when he was on the base.  Not someone you want to disappoint,” he explained.  “What could he be afraid of?”

“Not being strong enough.”

Finn sobered, shuddering slightly.  “Seemed plenty strong to me...  How did he react to you reading him?”

“He… left.  I don’t know where, but I didn’t want to stick around for him to come back with reinforcements or something.”

“Understandable.”

“There was a guard, so I thought I might… be able to get him to do what I wanted.  I told him to free me and leave, and it worked!”

He laughed again, but for a different reason, smiling at her surprise.  “You are very convincing,” he told her fondly, and she blushed.

“I didn’t think it would work.  Then I was searching for an escape and thoughts kept coming to me on what to do.  And that’s when I ran into you.”

“Wow.”  He looked thoughtful, and she fell silent as they both considered the events following their reunion.  After a few moments, he cleared his throat and she looked back up at him.  “What happened to you after I… with Kylo Ren?”

“When I heard you… it woke me up and I got to my feet.  He didn’t notice me after you went down, and was reaching for the lightsaber, which was buried in the snow.  I tried to do the same and it… it went right passed him and came to me,” she whispered, eyes wide.

He looked as bewildered and shook his head slightly.  “Why?”

“I don’t know!”

“Then you fought him?”

“I had to… I didn’t know what he would do otherwise,” she said quietly, looking at her hands.

Finn took her hand again and looked at her intently.  “You won?”

“Yes.”

“Did you kill him?”

“No.”  Finally, she raised her gaze to meet his and he seemed to see what she was thinking.  Maybe he was Force-sensitive, too, she thought.

“Thank you.  For saving my life,” he said earnestly.

She smiled weakly, thinking she might cry.  “Chewbacca carried you,” she deflected quietly.

He snorted.  “Still.  Thank you.”

After a brief nod from her, they lapsed into silence.  It was less awkward this time and she thought about all that had happened – and might happen in the future.  They weren’t ready for this.  Surviving so far had been miraculous and she couldn’t count on that luck to continue.  If she hadn’t taken BB-8 home, if she hadn’t chased Finn down in the marketplace…  Where might they all be now?

“That’s why they sent you?  To get Luke Skywalker?” Finn asked suddenly.

Pulling herself back, she nodded.  “I guess so,” she shrugged.

“And you found him?”

“Oh!  Yes, he’s here.  General Organa is with him.  She thought I’d rather visit you, I think, while they catch up.”

“What’s he like?”

She considered briefly.  “Sad.  Beaten, even.  But I think… I think he’s recovering.  That he wants to come back to help.”

“That’s good, then.”  He started to say something but stopped, pursing his lips.

“What is it?” she prompted.

A rueful smile crossed his face before he answered.  “I was just thinking, if he’s here, maybe you won’t have to be in any more danger.  You know, no longer being the only Force-user and all.”

That hadn’t occurred to her.  “It seems like he wants to train me.  As a replacement, maybe.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sure they won’t send me out unprepared,” she offered, though it wasn’t true.  Their intentions were good but there was too much at stake to wait for her to be comfortable.

“I’m sure,” he echoed, sounding similarly unconvinced.

Before she could find more a more believable phrasing, they were interrupted by a dark-haired man wearing a flight suit entering the room – with BB-8!  Rey smiled at the droid, pleased to see it again.

“Oh, I’m sorry, am I interrupting?” the man asked, pausing.

“Not at all.  Rey, this is my friend Poe.  Poe Dameron.  Poe, this is Rey,” Finn said, motioning to each of them in turn.

Rey was glad to put a face to the name BB-8 kept repeating.  And to finally meet the reason Finn had escaped the First Order.

“A pleasure, Rey – I’ve heard so much about you,” Poe told her while he shook her hand.  “This one has been very worried.”

Finn shot him a look that made Poe grin and Rey giggle.  “I had reason to be,” he defended himself stiffly.  “Just getting back or heading out?”

“Getting back.  Thought I’d stop by, see how you’re doing today,” he answered casually.  “They’ve had me in some old clunker, so it took some time getting back.  What did I miss?”

“Well, Rey brought Luke Skywalker here,” Finn told him proudly.

“No kidding? That’s great!” Poe declared, patting her on the back.  “You know, I’ve been doing reconnaissance missions to try to find the First Order’s base.  If you ever want a break from Force-stuff, I could use a copilot.”

Surprised by the offer, Rey could only smile and nod.  “She’d be very helpful,” Finn stated when she didn’t say anything.

Poe smiled at the both of them before starting to leave.  “Well, I’ll let you two get caught up.  I’m serious about my offer, though, Rey.  Just let me know.”

“I will,” she promised, glancing at Finn, who gave her an encouraging nod.  “Do you think the General would let me go?” she asked him quietly after Poe was out of earshot.

Finn shrugged.  “Only one way to find out.”


	6. I'll Be the One to Protect You From Your Enemies and All Your Demons

His morning meditation was troubling and ineffective.  Though he didn’t see the island, he did see the old familiar ship.  He didn’t pursue it – didn’t want to know who was on it.  Giving up, he stood to pace and shake off the cold knot in the pit of his stomach.  She had to have been successful.  There was no way that she could have this effect on him and be unable to sway Skywalker.

What could he do about that, though?  Train, focus his strength.  Hone his abilities so that he wouldn’t be distracted by her potential.  So that he would do what was best for the Order, not for himself.  He could have killed her, or wounded her, like he had her companion.  Or even caused her to lose consciousness again and carried her off (or at least tried – she might have been able to resist that, too).  Those would have been much more strategic than merely imploring her.  Their surroundings had been crumbling and he shouldn’t have been concerned about getting her to willingly come with him.

A brisk knock at the door thankfully brought him back to the present, where he could make a difference, instead of reliving the failures of the past.  “Yes?” he said sharply when the door opened.

The Stormtrooper in the doorway shifted his weight back on his heels as though he might run, and Kylo Ren suppressed a smile.  “Your presence is requested in Hangar Bay 7, sir,” he almost stuttered.

Nodding, he shut the door in the trooper’s face, and turned back to grab his hood and lightsaber before leaving.  It was hardly a surprise to find the corridor empty and, as he passed through more on the way to the hangar, he had the impression of that they were hastily vacated upon his approach.  That was good.  After the intense training the day before, he felt stronger and was pleased to find it had an effect on those around him.

Captain Phasma and one of her squads were standing at attention outside of his shuttle when he approached.  “Sir, we have a lead on the location of the new Resistance base.  The Supreme Leader wishes for you to head the expedition.”

It was a mission he’d been on before, more than once.  It involved storming some out-of-the-way village on a remote planet and finding someone who shouldn’t be there.  And then questioning them – which was where he came in.  He knew that Snoke sent him on these partially as a challenge to prove his loyalty.  And the fact that they were often unsuccessful was why Snoke continued to push him.  But Snoke underestimated his enemy – General Organa was adept at making her people difficult to find, and not advertising her location.  They also, he suspected, relocated frequently, so any knowledge gained would be obsolete within a few days anyway.

Still, his aching muscles appreciated doing something other than training.  So he gave Phasma a nod and headed aboard.  He had a room of his own, but went to the cockpit instead.  It made the pilot nervous, and he considered insisting on taking her place.  This was an official directive, however, so he just stood back and watched.  It took a few minutes for the squad to board and a few more to go through the takeoff procedure.

Once, a long time ago, he used to love nothing more than the moment that the atmosphere passed and they were surrounded by stars.  It felt so free to leave behind the planet and its problems.  Which was a foolish thought – when had he ever only had to worry about a single world?  Whether as a child or more recently, those around him were always concerned about the galaxy as a whole.  And traveling from planet to planet was a trivial aspect of the work to be done.  Jump into hyperspace and get it over with as quickly as possible.

So he remained motionless and unimpressed as they made their way toward where the Finalizer was in orbit.  Passively, he considered that it felt a little like going home.  It was familiar in a way that the base was not.  But that was a dangerous line of thinking so he pushed it aside.  Weakness like that could cost him in the next battle.

The shuttle landed in the hangar on the star destroyer and he turned and strode passed Phasma’s squad, intent on reaching his quarters to quell his thoughts.

“Sir,” Phasma interrupted him.

He came abruptly to a stop and looked at her impatiently.

“I’m sorry, sir, but the Finalizer can only take us so far without risking notice.  We will be taking the shuttle for most of the distance.”

“How long until we leave?” he asked in a clipped tone.

Phasma glanced toward one of her men, who stepped forward at attention quickly.  “Two hours, sir.”

With a nod, he resumed his trajectory and no one stopped him this time.  His quarters were untouched and he sat down on the edge of the seat in front of his most prized possession.  He thought of asking for guidance, for help in his training so he would be able to face Skywalker and the girl.  But he didn’t say anything, just shifted his weight and pressed his lips together.  His training was going well, he thought.  He was getting stronger.  This distraction was a welcome one and he had no doubt that he would be as successful as these things usually were.

The appropriate time came and he returned to the hangar without having to be summoned.  Phasma seemed relieved, though it was hard to tell through her mask.  This time, he did go to his room on the shuttle instead of annoying the pilot.  She was probably relieved, too, he thought as he waited impatiently.  His was not the only shuttle – two troop transports had joined them.  So he knew the others would land first and began to secure the area before he would be needed.  He would much have preferred to be part of the first attack instead of chafing here. 

But Snoke would remind him that appearances had to be maintained.  As a special agent of the First Order, he could not join the foot soldiers.  Part of his effectiveness came from a persona that kept his own people in line as well as striking fear in their enemies.  Though he felt both would be sufficiently cowed if he went in first and took care of any opposing force.  Maybe not single-handedly, but enough so as to justify his presence.

Finally, the shuttle landed and he was standing by the door before it opened.  Phasma was uncomfortable with his impatience, but didn’t protest when he led the way out onto the planet.  It was decently forested and there was the expected village in the clearing.  The other squads were still securing the premises, and he was pleased to be able to help.

Igniting his lightsaber, he deflected a few blasts someone managed to send his way, and walked measuredly through the settlement, giving assistance whenever the opportunity presented itself.  Still, it was a backwater place and they did not last long against the technologically superior First Order.

A middle-aged man was brought before him, trembling and wearing a flight suit with which he was familiar.  “Where is the base?” he asked flatly, holding his lightsaber at his side where the man could see it and infer what might happen if he didn’t answer.

“I… I don’t know!” he insisted.

Twirling the blade in his hand, he looked at it with a bored expression, then back at the man.  “No idea?” he asked politely.

“Sir, please, let me go home to my family,” the prisoner asked with dignity.

Something about the action gave Kylo Ren pause and he shook his head slightly to dispel the thoughts invading.  Then he reached forward with his left hand and concentrated.  “Where is it?” he insisted, sifting through alien thoughts and feelings in search of what he needed.

“D’Qar!” he cried, holding his head in pain.

Pressing further, it did seem that no more recent information was available, and he sighed.  “It was,” he agreed affably, and swept back toward his shuttle.

“Sir?” Captain Phasma asked, managing to keep up with him.

“Do whatever you think is appropriate here and take me back to base,” he ordered shortly.

“Yes, sir.”

Ignoring the chaotic aftermath of battle, he returned to his shuttle and sealed the door to his private room.  Then he sat on the floor and closed his eyes, intent on turning his scattered thoughts and raw emotions into something useful.  This was an easy mission, a familiar one – if he couldn’t handle the reminders it brought, how could he possibly be of any use in the future?  Vaguely, he was aware of the squad returning and taking off.  No one disturbed him even when they had returned to the Finalizer and sat on board for the return trip.  Finally, they had arrived at the base and he left the shuttle silently.

His tread was measured and slow as he contemplated where to go.  Nothing but meditation waited for him in his quarters, but he was uninterested in using the scant remains of the day to train.  A feeling drifted through him that stopped him in his tracks and he frowned in concentration.  Then he made his way toward the nearest control room at a pace just short of a run.

The officer in charge was unknown to him, and asked some inane questions about his arrival.  Ignoring him, he glanced hastily at the various monitors until he found one that showed him he hadn’t lost his mind.  There was a ship, an old troop transport, just close enough for their best sensors to pick it up.  And he had no doubt that it contained the girl.

******************************************************************************

Though Luke and Leia exchanged troubled looks at Rey’s request, they granted it.  In the meantime, she started training with Luke each day – starting with meditation.  It helped her sleep without troubling thoughts, and seemed to keep things at bay.  She visited Finn in the evenings, and sometimes Poe was there.  It was such a relief to have people to talk to at the end of the day, after dealing with things that still seemed otherworldly.  After it had become routine, she got a message to go to the hangar to meet Poe by the old ship he’d shown her earlier.  It was a troop transport that, despite its ancient appearance, had modern innards.

“She’s not pretty, but she should avoid most scans.  And she’s got some drive to her, in case we need to get back in a hurry,” Poe told her by way of greeting as she approached.

He led the way up the ramp and she couldn’t resist smiling as she looked at all the interesting technical features.  It was definitely much more impressive on the inside.  “Did you make these modifications?”

“A few, but I’m at my best in the pilot’s seat,” he responded affably as he dropped easily into the location in question.  “You’re welcome to look around once we get underway.”

“Thank you.”  She climbed into the copilot’s seat and studied the array of controls briefly.

“Ready?”

With a nod, she glanced up at him.  “Let’s go.”

Normally, a transport ship such as this would have none of the finesse of, say, the Millennium Falcon.  The modifications made it a little more maneuverable and certainly faster, to the point that she was surprised by how quickly they broke the atmosphere.  She had little to do with that, but could set up the sequence for the jump into hyperspace.

“There’s been some activity the General wants checked out in the system,” Poe explained.  “It may be nothing, but we may be wandering into danger.  So I’m hoping that having a powerful Force-user on this trip will keep us from heading into a trap.”

She smiled slightly.  “Well, I’ll do my best.  It’s, um, it’s a bit new to me.”

“But flying isn’t?” he asked conversationally.

Clearing her throat, she gave him a nod to let him know they were ready for the jump.  Once they were going lightspeed, he released the controls to look at her expectantly.  “I hadn’t flown anything off-world until I met Finn,” she admitted.

“He told me about your maneuvers on Jakku.  Seems pretty impressive for a novice,” he teased.

“Well, I built a flight simulator at home.  To give me something to do when I wasn’t working,” she offered.

He whistled.  “You were a scavenger?”

“Yes.”

“By yourself?”

“Yes.”

Shaking his head, he clapped her on the back and headed out of the cockpit.  “I’ve been to Jakku.  Getting off-world was a challenge when I crashed there with Finn.  Too bad I didn’t run into someone as skilled as you,” he said over his shoulder.

She got up to follow him.  “It’s nothing, really,” she insisted.

He paused and turned to look at her intently.  “I know it’s a lot to take in, Rey.  It’s a lot of pressure here.  But no one is going to ask anything of you that you can’t handle.  Without you, the Resistance would have been destroyed and the First Order would currently be ruling the galaxy.  So we hope you will do more for our cause, but you’ve done amazing things already.”

Flushing, she directed her attention toward the floor.  “Thank you,” she murmured belatedly.

Shaking his head, Poe continued on his way and stopped at a panel.  “You sound like Finn.  He doesn’t think he’s done anything worthwhile, either.”

She watched, fascinated as he opened the panel and stepped back to let her see what was running the ship.  “How did he free you?” she asked as she leaned in to study the inner workings.

He rested his back against the wall and folded his arms over his chest.  “Well, I think he was there when I was captured.  Didn’t notice, though, because of the armor and all.  I don’t know how long I was there after being … questioned, but then this lone Stormtrooper came in and said I was in for more questioning elsewhere.  Which didn’t sound like something I wanted to hear.”

A chill passed over her and she was surprised at the unexpected opportunity to talk about an experience with someone who shared it.  Before she could ask, though, he’d moved on.

“And it turned out to be Finn!  I might have been suspicious if I’d been more, you know, myself.  I am surprised none of the other guards were concerned, but I suppose no one wants to risk upsetting their boss.  Anyway, Finn took me to a secluded corridor and asked me if I could fly us out.  I never would have expected one of their own to switch sides – they get them young and work hard on loyalty.  So I told him I could fly anything, and we snuck aboard a TIE-fighter.”

She smiled, amused by the wistful expression on his face.  “It was a nice ship?” she guessed.

“Was it ever!  Oh, I’d trade my old X-Wing for that beauty in a moment.”  Shaking his head sadly, he continued the story.  “It was rough getting out of the hangar, and I had to give Finn a crash course on the weapons system.  The First Order wasn’t going to let us go that easily, though, so we had to dodge a lot of firepower they sent our way.  And we were not successful, unfortunately.  We went down on Jakku and I got knocked out somewhere along the way.  I woke up and couldn’t find Finn or the Fighter.”

“What did you do?”

He shrugged.  “What was there to do?  I started walking.  Eventually, I found a settlement.  And eventually managed to get a ride off-planet.  I wasn’t on D’Qar long before we received word that BB-8 was on Takodana, so I led the operation to rescue him.  I was very relieved to find Finn there,” he added with a smile.

“I’m sure,” she agreed, returning his expression before busying herself with inspecting the circuitry in front of her.

Poe was silent for a moment, watching her.  “You weren’t there.  That’s when they took you captive?”

“Yes.”

Clearing his throat, he straightened and glanced toward the cockpit.  “Finn was very worried about you, you know.  As soon as we got back to base, he told me about you and how he needed to rescue you.”

She blushed and nodded, not looking at him.

“Rey…  If you want to talk about it, about what it was like to be their prisoner…  I can relate,” he offered hesitantly.

Sitting back on her heels, she took a deep breath.  “Kylo Ren questioned you?”

“Yes.”

“He’s the one who found me in the woods.”

“I’m sorry,” he offered earnestly.  “I didn’t think they could get anything out of me.  The Stormtroopers didn’t, even though that hurt, you know, a lot.  But then he came and I just… he took it.  So I guess it’s my fault that they started chasing you,” he continued slowly.

Frowning, she turned from the pleasantly distracting cables to look at him.  “Why?”

“Because that’s how they knew BB-8 had the map.  If I could have just resisted…”

She got to her feet to face him and tried to appear comforting.  “It’s alright, Poe.  I… I don’t think their entire plan could have hinged on one person talking.”

He gave her a small smile.  “It might.  Seemed pretty effective to me.  Only took him a minute or two.”  Pausing, he looked at her uncertainly.  “Definitely hurt a lot,” he added.

That was true, she thought, wincing at the memory of Kylo Ren’s initial, and more successful, attempt in the woods of Takodana.  “Yes, it did.  The first time.”

“First time?” he prompted.

She didn’t know Poe very well, but Finn did.  And Finn liked him.  And the Gen – Leia trusted him very highly.  But she didn’t want to burden someone else with her troubles, especially when it seemed his experience had been much worse.  Pressing her lips together, she considered.  “He read my mind before taking me.  I’d seen the map, so he decided he didn’t need BB-8 and just took me.”

A puzzle frown crossed Poe’s face.  “That doesn’t make much sense.  A hologram of the map would be much more useful than having it in someone’s head.”

That hadn’t occurred to her and she shuddered slightly.  “I suppose,” she responded noncommittally.

“I’m sorry, we don’t have to talk about this,” Poe said quickly, looking concerned.

“It’s alright.”  Taking a breath, she gave him a smile.  “When he questioned me while I was his prisoner, I turned it back on him.”

“You did?  How?  I mean, that’s amazing!” he declared enthusiastically enough to make Rey blush again.

With a shrug, she shifted her weight.  “I don’t know how.  But I…  When he was reading my mind, he was talking to me.  Going slowly and saying what he saw.  I don’t… I don’t know why.  But I could see what he was doing, so I tried to do it to him, and that worked somehow.”

Poe sobered as she explained, but then smiled again.  “Well, glad to hear he got a taste of his own medicine.  I hope you’ll be sticking around because some more of that and we might be able to beat him.”

The way he said it made her think that defeating Kylo Ren would bring down their enemies, which wasn’t something she had considered.  She had been focused on the thought of what he’d done to Han, and how devastated Leia and Luke were by it.  And what he might be capable of doing to them in the future.  How influential was he in the First Order?  How much of a blow would it be to them if he were taken out of the equation?  Poe seemed to think they wouldn’t be able to recover, and perhaps that was why Luke was so concerned about him.

An alarm began to sound, letting them know they were about to drop out of hyperspace.  Poe gave her a reassuring grin before leading the way back to the cockpit.  Rey hastily replaced the coils she had moved and refastened the panel before following him.  When she sat down, the system was clearly visible out the windows and she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Slowly, Poe flew just outside the orbit of the closest planet, scanners running while the two of them searched for any signs of life.  Nothing stuck out and they continued to the next one.  There was definitely something on the surface and Poe pulled them a little closer.

“Something big,” he muttered, frowning.

“Poe,” she whispered sharply, pointing.  Just leaving hyperspace and preparing to orbit the planet was a star destroyer.

He immediately flipped some switches to turn off all but the life-support and they held their breaths in anticipation.  The ship slowed and a shuttle could be seen exiting it.  From the way it was idling, it seemed like they might have stumbled on their enemy’s base of operations.  Poe was looking intently on the readouts while Rey watched the shuttle carefully, feeling strangely fixated.  It landed out of sight, given the curvature of the planet, and Rey was struck with the feeling of turmoil she had experienced at night.

“It’s him! He’s here,” she stated urgently.

“Who?” Poe asked, distracted.

She grabbed his shoulder. “We need to run.  Now.”

“Yeah, sure, alright,” he answered and quickly saw to the required controls.  It seemed to take a lifetime while she stared at where the shuttle had disappeared and waited to see it return.  But then they were safely in hyperspace, her heart stopped pounding in her throat and she could breathe again.  “Rey…  Are you okay?” he asked gently.

“It was…  Kylo Ren was there.  I could feel him.  And I think… I think he could feel me, too.”


	7. I'll Be the One to Protect You From a Will to Survive and a Voice of Reason

He felt her fear flare, and then watched, disbelieving, as the ship disappeared into hyperspace.  No… no no no – she had been right there, just out of reach.  Always just out of reach.  His eyes closed for a moment in despair.

“Sir?”

The officer sounded terrified, and he was vaguely aware of the small group of people watching him tensely.  His lightsaber was in his hand and he ignited it, opening his eyes to glare at the one who had spoken.  Then he drove his weapon into the offending machinery as the technicians fled.  Once it was thoroughly destroyed, he moved onto those around it.  Until his anger was spent and he dropped unceremoniously to the floor, pulling his knees up against his chest and leaning back dejectedly.

He was supposed to be getting stronger.  Supposed to have proven his loyalty by killing his – by killing Han Solo.  That and a thousand other things he’d done to show Snoke he had nothing to fear from his apprentice.  And still he was kept at a distance and not given the guidance he needed.  Snoke had said they would find the girl.  But he wasn’t ready yet – he couldn’t face her again so soon.

She thought he was a monster.  And he didn’t disagree – he was doing necessary evil.  But that wasn’t… there was more to him than that.  After he’d seen into her mind, seen her loneliness and isolation, he’d thought – well, it didn’t matter.

Climbing to his feet, he surveyed the control room resignedly.  There was no way they could track the ship she’d been on now.  But another thought occurred to him, and he searched quickly for an undamaged machine that could show him what he wanted to see.  His fingers hovered above the controls as conflicting thoughts rushed through him.  Glancing around, he reasoned that he was alone, and could do whatever he wished with the information he found.  There… there wouldn’t be any danger in checking.

The Millennium Falcon was a famous ship.  It had been a very long time since it had been used for successful smuggling missions.  What it had been doing, where it had been, all these years was a mystery – one he wasn’t particularly interested in solving.  But it left a trail that was easy to follow, if you knew what to look for.  And he’d spent a lot of time tracking its progress through space when he was younger.  Now… it was easy to remember how and he pushed aside the way his heart pounded at the thought of what he might find.

There.  It was on a planet that was not strategically important in terms of location, or particularly populated.  But he knew, as soon as he saw it, that the leader of the Resistance would pick it for a new base.  It was much like the one she’d once called home.  Clenching his teeth, he considered that her emotions – the loss of her husband – might finally be blinding her.  She might finally make a mistake that the First Order could exploit.

 Another destroyed machine in the room would hardly be noticed, and the act did settle his nerves a little.  Stalking back to his quarters, he was relieved to see no one on the way, and to have no messages waiting to debrief his mission.  Or insist he train more.  He needed time.  Time before he saw Snoke and had to face what had happened.

They were compromised.  The girl had been here, and he didn’t think she’d been alone.  So the Resistance had found their base.  After all the years of careful planning, Snoke’s secret base had been found by an untrained child.  It was impressive, and Kylo Ren couldn’t resist a grim smile at the thought.  They had other bases, and destroying this one would not be the blow that destroying Starkiller had been.  Unless, of course, Snoke was killed as well.  Without him, the Order would not last.

If Snoke did fall, what would he do?  Would he vie for power against Hux?  Work with Hux?  Leave?

His loyalty to the leader was not in question.  But to the Order?  That was a different thing to consider.  Certainly it was better to be ruled by an effective government than an inefficient and bloated bureaucracy.  He’d seen enough of the damage the Republic had caused as a result of its stubborn and divisive senate.  Snoke would bring an end to all of that.  But, while General Hux might hope to someday replace their current leader, the prospect did not interest Kylo Ren.  He was here to serve someone who wasn’t afraid of what he could do, who encouraged him to use his abilities to save the galaxy from itself.

Han Solo had told him that Snoke was just using him.  But he didn’t know what it was like – he’d never known – what it was like to have directionless power building up and threatening to break you.  He needed someone to guide him, to give him something to _do_ , and Snoke had done that far more effectively than Skywalker ever had.  So, if something happened to him…  He expected to have much bigger things to worry about than who would take over.

Except… What about the girl?  She was like him, as powerful as him, tormented like him…  It was understandable that she’d run away when he’d left her alone.  That she’d attacked him after watching him kill his – Han Solo.  And wound her friend.  But if he could find her, talk to her, surely she would understand?  It would…  No one else would understand what she was going through, and he really could help her.  If she would let him.

“What should I do, Grandfather?” he murmured as he sat down heavily, wishing he was on his own ship.  Instead of here, in this unfamiliar base, separated from Snoke.

If he told him about the girl, then they would relocate as much of their resources as possible, hurriedly mining what they could before destroying the rest.  There would be a more feverish search for her, and for the Resistance base.  He would be sent out more frequently to question and follow any rumors.  And any failure on his part to find reliable leads would cause a rift between him and Snoke as his loyalty was called into question, as it had been during all those discussions about the weapon that was Starkiller.

But if he told him about the Falcon…  Then all of their forces would be mobilized to take the planet as quickly as possible.  The Resistance was spread thin without the Republic, though the destruction thereof had caused more systems to pick a side.  Perhaps they weren’t as weakened as Snoke had hoped.  But they were weaker, and such a surprise attack would have great effect.  Particularly if key officials could be taken or killed.

Would General Organa allow herself to be taken?  Unlikely – she’d regularly escaped one regime in her youth.  And she was Force-sensitive – not in the same vein as her brother, but there was power there that could not be underestimated.  So he knew that dealing with her was a high priority for Snoke.  It’s why he’d been so insistent on keeping the map from falling into her hands – destroying the planets around the Resistance had been worth the risk if it meant keeping her from the one hope she still had.

Now…  Skywalker had almost certainly returned to his sister.  And maybe that was what kept Snoke so busy since Kylo Ren had arrived here.  But was it possible that he didn’t know?  His premonitions were no longer shared as readily as they had been at the beginning.  Was he unable to sense his enemies regrouping?

He hadn’t told Snoke about the visions, about the island or the Falcon.  Would he be reprimanded for keeping it to himself?  Perhaps.  But not if he came with news that Snoke would want to hear.  Not if he had something to offer to restore the trust.

Slowly, he got to his feet, and made his way toward the audience chamber.

******************************************************************************

Poe’s brow furrowed at Rey’s comment, but he focused on getting them to safety as soon as possible.  He had no idea what being Force-sensitive was like, but if it meant you and your enemy could feel each other’s presence, then that hardly seemed worth it.  Especially from the way Rey was now curled up in her chair and looking terrified.  It would not be pleasant to know what was going on in Kylo Ren’s head, he thought darkly.  Having the enemy in his own head once had been bad enough.

Finally they dropped out of hyperspace near the new base.  Not very close, though – just in case.  He took some detours to make sure no one was following them, as well as checking for any kind of tracking.  Nothing.  That was strange, but perhaps they’d gotten away before the First Order could act on their presence.  What was more important was the fact that they now knew where one of their bases was – and it was one worth finding, if Kylo Ren’s presence were any indication.  Telling the General the news was something to look forward to, and Rey looked like she needed that.

“Hey, we’re okay,” he told her soothingly.  She glanced up at him, wide-eyed.  “No one’s coming after us, and we did good today.”

“We did?” she asked, sounding far away.

“Yeah.  We found our enemy’s base.  The General will be very pleased.”

Rey sat up a little bit to fix her gaze on the planet they were approaching.  “Why?”

That was an unexpected question.  “Because it gives us a target.  If we can take out part of their infrastructure, it should weaken them.  Maybe even get their leader while we’re at it.  Then this will all be over soon,” he explained a little more confidently than he felt.

She was shaking her head before he finished.  “He knew I was there.  They’ll relocate before we can get to them.  Might leave a trap,” she added dejectedly.  “I’m sorry, Poe.  I shouldn’t have come.”

“Hey, if you hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have escaped so easily.  Then I’d really have something to worry about.  At least this way, we know they’ll be running scared.”

With a slight frown, Rey considered this.  If the First Order was forced to flee the system, they might make mistakes.  They might get sloppy and the Resistance could use that.  Somehow.  But it seemed that Luke’s training so far had not been very effective.  Her Force-induced nightmares had diminished, and that was much appreciated (though nightmares of another sort still troubled her).  But how useful could she be if their enemy could feel her whenever she was near?  Sure, she could do the same in return, but that just brought on more questions.

On Starkiller base, she’d managed to avoid him.  If she could feel where he was at the time, she didn’t know – the feelings were too new and strange to place properly.  She’d just followed a mysterious sense of what felt like a good place to go.  That could have been her powers manifesting to keep away from a presence she could sense.  But how had he not found her?  Was she able to shield herself then and couldn’t now?  That he had been searching for her was an assumption, she supposed.  She had no idea what he had done until she’d seen him out on the bridge and Han –

“Still with me over there?” Poe asked, concerned.

“Sorry, yes.  I was just… thinking.”

He pursed his lips briefly.  “So, you built a flight simulator?  What kinds of ships could you fly on it?”

Blinking, she looked at her lap, grateful for the distraction.  “I had to find training files.  I don’t have the expertise to program it myself.  But one of the star destroyers had a pretty extensive library onboard and was only somewhat damaged.”

“You salvaged a star destroyer?”

A laugh escaped her at his startled expression.  “No, just bits and pieces.  I’m afraid nothing could be done with it – too buried in sand.  Not to mention shot down.”

“I see,” he said with a smile.  “But you took it apart and fixed up the pieces to sell?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.  Do you know about the battle of Jakku?”

She brightened at the question.  “Only a few stories I overheard.  What was it like?”

His smiled broadened.  “I wasn’t there, Rey.  I was only a couple years old at the time.  But my parents were part of the Rebellion.  It was the last large-scale battle the Empire attempted.  Their navy was pretty run-down by then, but they were overconfident of their power.  They thought it would be the turning point of the war.  Well, it was that,” he mused.  Seeing the way Rey was looking at him, he launched into as grand and operatic description of the battle as he could, and was amused by how delighted she was by it.  He’d certainly succeeded in distracting her from her current troubles.

They landed as he was finishing the story, and she grinned at him.  “I had no idea!  Mostly folks just complained about it, even if it was how we were all surviving.  Thank you, Poe,” she added, more seriously and a little shyly.

“You’re very welcome, Rey.  Let’s go find the General, shall we?”

Nodding, she got up and followed him out of the ship.  To his surprise, Finn was waiting for them just outside.  He looked like he was in some pain standing there, but delighted to see the two of them.

“You’re back!” he said, happily.

Poe smiled at the way Rey hurried over and then stopped short, as though uncertain of her reception, despite Finn’s obvious regard.  “We are, with some good news, at least.”

Finn pulled his attention away from Rey to look at Poe seriously.  “And some bad?”

“That’s not important right now, Finn,” Rey put in quickly.  “We need to talk to the General right away.”

Giving them a nod, the ex-Stormtrooper began limping back inside with a sense of determination.  They made their way after him, and he led them to the control room where General Organa was poring over something.

“Success?” she asked, looking up with a fondness Poe was always honored to see.

He looked encouragingly at Rey, who was hanging back.  “We found one of their bases,” she offered, a little shy still.

“Did you?  That’s wonderful news,” the General told her with an unexpected gentleness.  Poe hadn’t seen the two of them together before, but supposed he shouldn’t be surprised.  The girl had, after all, done the impossible and brought Luke Skywalker back.  “What did you see there?” she continued, searching Rey’s face.

“I…” Rey faltered, glancing almost frantically at Poe.

“We saw a star destroyer come into orbit, as well as a large structure on the ground.  It was somewhat hidden and threw off a few of the scanners, but was definitely too big to be a regular settlement.  And the shuttle that came off the star destroyer was definitely Kylo Ren’s,” he added, something he could confirm without Rey having to divulge anything.

The General’s expression tightened and she gave a nod.  “I see.  So it’s likely an important outpost?”

“It looks that way, ma’am,” he reported.

“Show me.”

He moved over to the console and brought up a star map on which the planet appeared.  “There.”

Her brow furrowed as she studied it, thinking.  “We will have to decide what to do with this information,” she stated slowly.

Rey cleared her throat and everyone turned to look at her.  Well, the General and Poe did – Finn may not have stopped, which made Poe smile slightly before directing a reassuring look Rey’s way.

“I, uh, I don’t think we have a lot of time,” she told the General, hands clenched at her sides.

“You were spotted?” the General asked, a little sharply, looking at him and then at Rey again.

“Not exactly,” Rey continued, staring at her feet.

The General moved closer, voice gentle when she spoke again.  “What happened, Rey?”

Pursing her lips, Rey slowly raised her eyes to look at the General.  “He was there, I could feel it.  And he… he could tell it was me, too,” she whispered.

Finn looked angry and moved protectively toward Rey, while the General took her hand.  “It’s not your fault, Rey,” she said firmly.  “Now, Poe, please go fetch the others.  Finn, Rey, you’re welcome to stay for the council.  But if you’d prefer to go talk to my brother, that might be a good idea,” she added, softening.

“Thank you,” Rey said as Poe left the room, contemplating what the next day would bring.


	8. I'll Be the One to Protect You From Your Enemies and Your Choices, Son

Snoke was meeting via hologram with someone Kylo Ren didn’t know, but allowed him to enter anyway.  He waited silently, listening intently to their discussion about how to handle some political negotiations with the systems formerly of the Republic.  When the call ended, he gave his report and Snoke became very grave.

“We must make preparations immediately, then.”  He stood up to pace, glancing over his shoulder at Kylo Ren occasionally.  “Tell me, have you felt Skywalker?  Has he joined them?”

“No,” he answered measuredly.  “I have felt nothing.”

“Hmm.  He must be able to hide himself without the protection of the Temple, even from you.”  He sounded disappointed, and his student grimaced slightly.  “No matter.  I’m sure he’ll reveal himself to us soon enough.  We will have to be ready.”

“Yes.  Leader.”

Snoke came to a halt to look at him carefully.  “There’s something else…”  He leaned forward to look him in the eye, frowning.  “You’ve grown more powerful already in this short time.  Your training has been effective, but I’m afraid I will no longer be available to oversee it.”

“Yes, Leader.”

“Return to the Finalizer.  You are in command of her.  Hone your skills while you await orders.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke seemed concerned by his quiet acceptance of the delayed training.  “I know what it means to you to master your skills,” he said softly, soothingly.  “But I have a task for you that will help.”

“Yes, Leader?” Kylo Ren asked, but without the interest he usually showed.

Puzzled, the head of the Order studied his student for a long moment.  “Perhaps you are not up to the challenge?”

“I will do whatever you ask of me, Leader,” he answered emotionlessly.

Frown deepening, Snoke extended a hand toward Kylo Ren, whose body began to tremble against his will.  He gritted his teeth against the pain of having his thoughts torn open and evaluated.  Closing his eyes, he focused on the here and now, harnessing the agony into something he could use later.  With a dissatisfied sound, Snoke released him and stepped back, offering a hand when the younger man nearly fell.

“I believe you are ready,” he said slowly.

“Thank you, Leader,” Kylo Ren replied, breathing heavily and fighting to get it under control as he stood up straight again.

Snoke resumed pacing as he spoke.  “You have always been skilled at mental manipulation.  Your capabilities have brought us a great deal of vital information that we otherwise would never have known.  It was you who brought us plans for our ships and the locations of kyber crystals.  Without you, we would struggle, as the Resistance has, to arm and transport our men.”

“Thank you, Leader,” he offered when there was a pause.

A small smile crossed Snoke’s face before he continued.  “You have served us well over the years.  Your insight has always been valued and your gifts could not be more appreciated.  Hundreds of star systems have joined with us because of you, and hundreds more will as your power grows.”  He paused when Kylo Ren shifted his weight but said nothing.  “Your recent actions, however, have shown questionable judgment.”

“Forgive me, Leader.”

“The girl is not important.  You did your best with her, I am certain, but she is no longer your concern.  Put her out of your mind.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke paused again, studying him.  “I agree with your assessment of her importance, from what I have witnessed in your memories.  But she is lost to us for now.”

“Yes, Leader.”

“If we can make her see reason, she would be a valuable asset.  But you are not ready for a Padawan, and I have no time for another student.  So, if we find her again…”

He looked expectantly at Kylo Ren, who stayed immobile and expressionless.  “We will kill her.”

“Yes.  I’m afraid that is the only option available to us now.  If we have won, if the galaxy has turned to us for help, then such a student would be greatly appreciated.  But now she is in the hands of Skywalker and there is nothing we can do for her.”

“Yes, Leader.”  In the ensuing silence, Kylo Ren glanced over to his leader, waiting to be dismissed.

Snoke was staring intently into the middle distance, standing still.  Blinking, he focused on his student again.  “There is one thing more.”

“Yes, Leader?”

Approaching to put a hand on Kylo Ren’s shoulder, Snoke looked at him sympathetically.  “Your ties to the Resistance concern me.”

“I have none, Leader.”

“I have no doubt concerning your ability to see reason with the girl.  And your ties to Skywalker were long since severed.  When you meet him again, you will not falter.  Especially after how you’ve served unflinchingly regarding your father.”

Snoke paused and Kylo Ren felt his stomach twisting in a way that made him think he might be sick.

“But your mother…  She is a different story.”

He cleared his throat.  “I will not fail you, Leader.”

“I know you will try.  But I worry about your ability to succeed.  Which brings me to your task.  While you are training, meditating, practicing your form and strengthening your resolve, there is one other thing I must ask of you.”

“Anything, Leader.”

“Your mother is our greatest enemy.  She will not rest until we are destroyed.  You must use your skills and cloud her mind.  She’s been nothing short of brilliant to have survived this long, to have been as successful as she has been against us and our predecessors.  Against your grandfather.  You must cause her to make a mistake.  Something we can exploit.”

Kylo Ren was silent, digesting this.  Snoke waited patiently, watching him.  “I have no connection to her.  The obfuscation might have no effect or might kill her.”

“The latter would serve us better.  You will forge a link so that we can end this while preserving as much of our strength as possible.”

He nodded slowly.  “I will do what I can, Leader.”

Raising an eyebrow, Snoke moved to stand directly in front of him.

“It shall be done, Leader,” he corrected himself resignedly.

Snoke smiled and returned to his seat.  “Now, go.  There is much to do.”

Bowing his head, Kylo Ren left the room at a measured pace.  Once outside, though, he slowed to a stop and leaned heavily against the wall.  Clouding another’s mind was perhaps beyond what he was able to do.  Snoke was relying on his feelings for General Organa and the connection they had to pull this off.  Though he shouldn’t.  Hadn’t his previous performance where his father was involved shown the willingness but not the skill?  He needed more training, more guidance, to drive out what was in his head.  Only then could he be a reliable agent.

He pulled himself to his feet and headed back to his quarters to prepare for departure.  It didn’t take long, and he soon found himself again on the Finalizer.  Captain Phasma had been assigned to it, which was something of a relief.  The other captains were less familiar and less tractable.  She was good at what she did, and tolerated his deviations from protocol.  Much more of a relief, however, was the fact that General Hux was not on board.  There would be no bickering with him, no rivalry.  Perhaps he should be concerned about where that man was stationed, and if he were growing closer to Snoke in the meantime.

But if he could bring about an end to all of this through his influence on General Organa, then there would be no competition for him.  He would be able to complete his training, to truly master the Force.  And then… then maybe he could train someone else.  A bonded apprentice to whom he could pass on all his knowledge and understanding.

******************************************************************************

She could hear the arguing through the walls and closed her eyes more tightly.  There was no reason for her to attend the council – what did she know?  Her skills were with machinery, not people.  And her only source of expertise here seemed to come from a man she’d much rather have nothing to do with.  Her breath caught at the thought and she focused on slowly inhaling and exhaling until the tension started to leave her shoulders.  The chaotic feeling caused by the dissention amongst the others diminished and she grew calm.

Luke had told her that visions could accompany meditation.  That it was a way to focus her powers, and she should practice levitation as well.  The room in which she’d hidden was sparsely furnished, but there was a chair and a table on which she could work.  Concentrating, she opened an eye to watch them rise unsteadily and grinned.  That broke her focus, though, and they dropped, but she remained pleased.

Getting to her feet, she went to find Finn.  Poe was nice, but was born into this life.  Finn seemed more like he would understand her concerns.  Luke and Leia might as well, but they had much bigger things to worry about.  Plus they were the heroes of the Rebellion and she still couldn’t believe that they could be interested in a lowly scavenger like she was.  Not that they hadn’t been perfectly welcoming to her, but she wanted to live up to their expectations instead of asking for help.

Finn had been at the council for a while, but the bickering tired him out and he’d returned to the medical wing to rest.  He wasn’t supposed to be up and around that much yet, and hadn’t planned on doing more than meeting Rey and Poe when they came back.  Most of his days were spent resting while Rey was training with Luke Skywalker.  What must that be like?  That was perhaps easier for him to grasp than to be on this Resistance base, rubbing elbows with the people his superiors had demonized.

General Organa came to visit him frequently, albeit briefly.  She was busy and didn’t say too much except to thank him for his contributions.  And, usually, ask him questions.  Why she came herself instead of sending some underling was baffling and humbling.  His only other visitor was Poe, which was daily, and now Rey.  Though he was almost asleep, he woke himself up quickly when he saw her hesitantly coming into the room.

“Hey,” he said, sitting up.

Relieved by his welcome – she would hate to disturb him – Rey moved more confidently forward and sat down in the chair by his side.  “They’re still talking?”

“Yeah.  Figured I’d get a nap in while I can,” he told her with a smile.  “Where did you go?”

Biting her lip, she looked down at her hands.  “I went to meditate.  There’s, um, there’s a lot going on,” she murmured.

Finn watched her carefully, wanting to take her hand but resisting until she gave him some sign.  “Rey…  If there’s anything I can do…”

She offered him a weak smile before returning her gaze to her lap while she thought.  “Finn…  Do you ever regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“Coming back for me.  You could have run, gone to the Outer Rim –”

“Hey,” he interrupted firmly.  “I would never forgive myself if I left you with that monster.  My only regret is… is dragging Han Solo with me when I went to find you.”

Tears threatening to fall, she nodded quickly.  “I wish… I wish he hadn’t gone out there.  Why did he do that?” she murmured, almost to herself.  Why was he on that bridge?  Why was Chewbacca not firing?  Why was Kylo Ren just standing there, unmasked?  Why, then, did he murder Han in cold blood?  What changed?  And why was she haunted by his memories of it?

“I don’t know.  Seems like they knew each other?” Finn suggested, bringing her back and calming her.

The scene she and Finn had stumbled in on would make more sense in that context.  But why would Han Solo, famous smuggler and Rebellion fighter, know the First Order’s resident Dark-Side-user?  What they had been discussing on the bridge had been hard to hear, and she couldn’t say she’d been much focused on the words.  But her brain made a different connection and she was suddenly reminded of being questioned by Kylo Ren – when he’d said Han would have disappointed her, and she covered her mouth in horror.

“What is it?” Finn asked, concerned.

“I think…  I think Kylo Ren is Han’s son!” she gasped, staring at him in disbelief.

He looked as shocked as she felt, then considered.  “I…  The ages would be right, I guess.  Does that mean…  Does that mean the General is his mother?” he asked in a hushed tone.

Rey was shaking her head in denial, but changed to a nod to answer his question.  “I can understand why Luke went into exile.  If the student that destroyed everything was his own nephew…”

Both were silent for a long moment, contemplating the ramifications of what Rey was suggesting.  Finally, Finn looked up and was concerned by how afraid his friend looked.  “Hey, it’s okay.  I’m sure it’ll be alright,” he offered, feeling useless.

She started shaking her head again and it took some effort to keep from grabbing her shoulders so she would stop.  “Finn, how can I…  If the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo was swayed by the Dark Side while being trained by Luke Skywalker himself, what hope can I have to resist?”

It hurt to see the expression on her face, and he reached out to take her hand.  When she accepted that gesture, he pulled her close and held her uncertainly.  “Rey…  You’re nothing like him.  You’re strong and brave and … and you have nothing to worry about.  I’m sure Luke knows what happened and will know how to protect you.”

“You think so?” she whispered.

“I know so,” he told her firmly, and she looked up with a small smile.

“Thank you, Finn,” she said earnestly as she sat back against her chair.

He kept a smile on his face despite the surprising feeling of loss that hit him when she moved away.  “You’re welcome, Rey.”

Chewing on her lip, she glanced around the room uncomfortably.  “I should let you sleep,” she began.

“Hey, it gets really boring here.  I’d appreciate the company,” he forestalled her, and she smiled apologetically.

“I was just thinking I have some training to do if I’m going to be ready for… for whatever happens next.”

He nodded sagely.  “Of course, training would be good.  Couldn’t you do that here, though?  I promise I won’t distract you.”

Her expression brightened at the suggestion.  “Alright, I’ll be right back.”

She was only gone a moment before reappearing with the lightsaber and a little mechanical ball.  “Luke gave me this,” she told him shyly.  “It shoots and I have to deflect.  I’m not very good yet.”

“I doubt that.”

Smiling, she turned both implements on and got to work.  The look of concentration on her face brought a smile to his, and he was impressed by her ability to defend herself.  Of course, he thought darkly, she’d already had to do so with the unfamiliar weapon in much more dire circumstances.  The thought of Kylo Ren attacking her made him angry, and he could hardly believe that such an evil creature could be Han Solo’s son.  What could have happened there?

He had been taken from his family, from his home, before he could form memories of it.  And then been trained under a strict regime for the next twenty years.  He’d been told he had a natural talent and would make a good leader.  After he’d earned it, of course.  But instead of that, he’d watched a friend die, watched his friends murder helpless villagers, and decided to escape instead.  And now was working with the Resistance, living on their base, being nursed back to health by their people.  How did someone choose the opposite path?

Focusing on Rey, he hoped he would be able to help her when the time came.  And that she wouldn’t have to face her enemy alone.


	9. They're One in the Same, I Must Isolate You, Isolate and Save You From Yourself

He hadn’t seen his mother in a very long time.  She had sent him away, fearing his power and perhaps sensing the darkness in him.  Her brother was a trained Jedi, and had destroyed the last Sith in the galaxy, so she sent her son to him in order to – to what?  He didn’t know.  She probably didn’t know, either.  She was Force-sensitive and had more insight into the situation than his father had.  But what her goal was in sending her only son away from his parents was unknown.  It likely hadn’t worked out the way she’d hoped.

Training with Luke Skywalker was an honor, and those with Force-sensitivity were clamoring to learn from the legend.  There were others to occupy Luke’s time and it was unwise to take on so many students at once (Snoke would never make such a mistake).  So, lacking sufficient supervision, his power had grown as he did, and his control over it lapsed.  He was afraid of himself, of what he could do, and of how his master, and his parents, would respond to him.

Then Snoke came.  And gave him a way to use his gifts and not be overwhelmed by them.  His powers manifested in the ability to read minds easily, something he’d fought hard to suppress as a child.  Now, he had a reason to cultivate the skill and use it to further the Order’s reach.  He no longer had to fear the night, when alien thoughts were most prevalent in his mind.  There were no more voices or terrors to haunt him and he could sleep.  Most of the time.  It was under control and he could keep from reading anyone unless he wanted to.

The Knights of Ren was an ancient group, though they had fallen from record until Snoke resurrected them.  They were not Sith, not the evil that Skywalker had destroyed with the Empire.  They followed the old ways, from before the Jedi Order took power and lost its way, and he was proud to join them.  And, later, lead them.  His training, both with Skywalker and Snoke, as well as his natural aptitude for manipulating the Force set him at an advantage over the others and there was little doubt that he was the most qualified to lead.  He’d had to prove himself, of course, and it hadn’t been easy.  But he’d excelled, pleased to be able to use his powers fully.

Now Snoke used them as agents for the First Order and he saw them rarely.  A part of him had begun to fear that Snoke kept them apart on purpose, that he feared what they could do.  And, as usual, he reminded himself that Snoke knew much more than he did about the political machinations of the galaxy as a whole.  So he surely had his reasons.  If they were now entering an all-out war, perhaps they would regroup and serve together.

In any case, Kylo Ren worked best alone.  He always had – even as a child, he’d spent little time with others his age.  Especially after his abilities began to make themselves known and they were… less than enthusiastic to spend time with him.  Now he saw the lack of company as an opportunity to focus his energy without interruption.  No one to distract him and keep him from reaching his full potential.  And fulfilling Snoke’s recent order would require that, or at least getting close.

Contemplating the burned-out mask in front of him, he slowed his breathing until the conflicting thoughts in his head had faded.  “Grandfather…  Show me how to bring an end to all this.  Show me how to cloud General Organa’s mind,” he murmured, leaning forward intently.

He waited but there was no response.  No insight, no sudden clarity.  Slowly, he sat back and released a sigh.  She was skilled at hiding herself, always had been, and had managed to evade the notice of her own father even when her physical proximity should have been impossible to ignore.  So it was really no surprise that he couldn’t feel her now, and that his grandfather was of no help in this regard.

Standing up to pace, he considered what approach to take.  Should he have something in mind or just attempt to affect her judgment?  Was it already negatively affected by his – his most recent actions?  How would she react to his – to Han Solo’s death?  Had she sent him to confront his son?  Or had he decided to do so on his own?  The look on his father’s face flashed before his eyes and he could almost feel his hand on his cheek again.

He dropped heavily into the nearest chair and closed his eyes tightly, as if he could push it from his mind.  But he knew it would be there forever, tormenting him whenever he had a quiet moment.  How he wished Snoke had given him a more external task.  He would much prefer to go into battle or question prisoners or… or…  Well, maybe it was best that he was here, entrusted with something vitally important to the Order.

According to General Hux, the destruction of Starkiller Base had been a significant blow to their forces.  Recruitment was likely stepping up to cover the loss, but the equipment would be much harder to replace.  Much had been invested into the base, not only its creation but in arming it and keeping it running efficiently.  The evacuation of personnel and equipment had not been initiated until it was too late, so little had been salvaged.  They had other bases, of course, but Hux had been overzealous about putting everything into that one.

Their power and influence had been steadily increasing, particularly as a result of negotiations Snoke had made a priority.  And Hux had believed that using Starkiller’s weapon against the Republic would cement their victory over the Resistance.  He had expected this to all be over soon.  But he was wrong.  The destruction of planets had driven some systems to join out of fear, but Kylo Ren could sense the resentment in their actions and did not trust them to remain loyal if it looked like the Resistance was gaining ground.  Losing Starkiller was a blow for more than just the loss of equipment.  Snoke was busier than he’d ever been, trying to increase the number of allies on whom they could depend.

General Organa was clever, but not as wise as Supreme Leader Snoke.  She did not have his wisdom or influence.  However… she had Skywalker.  And the girl.  And Snoke had only him.  So, if he wanted this to be over, if he wanted to finally complete his training, there was one thing he had to do.

There were memories he’d long since repressed, hidden away from himself, and from Snoke.  Clenching his teeth, focused on them until they were in the forefront of his mind – playing with his mother as a child, being comforted when the nightmares came, saying goodbye for the last time.  When he could hardly stand them anymore, he found a thread.  It was not much to go on, but was all he had.  If he followed it, he could finish this.  A moment of hesitation, and then…

He became aware of his surroundings again with a gasp, looking around wildly.  Was it done?   Getting to his feet, he left his quarters quickly, wanting to be away from the intense feelings twisting through his mind.  He didn’t know where he was going, but walked for a long time without paying much attention.

“Sir?”

The voice startled him and he reached automatically for his lightsaber.  Then he realized it was just Phasma.  “Yes?” he asked distractedly, angrily.

She was unfazed by his reaction, as usual.  “Your presence is requested in the viewing room.”

Pulling himself together with difficulty, he gave her a decisive nod.  “I’ll be along shortly.”

She withdrew and he closed his eyes for a moment before heading off in the required direction.  He knew what this would be about and he would have to be ready for it.

******************************************************************************

_The markings on the wall of her home, the ones she’d used to count the days, stretched over her head and seemed to be expanding.  A voice called her, asking why she had left, why she couldn’t have waited any longer.  She ran after it, wanting to explain herself but unable to speak.  The walls of the AT-AT disappeared and she was surrounded by darkness._

_“Wait!” she cried, dropping to her knees in anguish._

_There was silence – and then – then she was in a stone building, in an unfamiliar bedroom.  A wind came from somewhere and blew aside a cloth tapestry, revealing tally marks etched into the bricks.  Something about it made her recoil, and she turned around to see a boy of about ten entering the room.  He was – familiar – he was –_

_“I’m sure they were just delayed,” Luke was saying, suddenly appearing in the doorway.  He looked much younger and she looked sharply at the boy.  No no no no…_

_Darkness surrounded her again, more welcome this time, but then red lights interrupted it and she was on that bridge, about to watch herself kill Han Solo.  She didn’t want this – she shouldn’t have to endure this – what had she done to deserve living with his pain and anger?_

Someone was shaking her and she sat bolt upright.  “Don’t be afraid, Rey,” General Organa told her gently, stepping back.

“Leia!  I was… there was…  I should never have left home,” she said frantically, drawing her knees up and burying her face in her arms.  Leia’s hand was on her shoulder, comforting.

“We all get dreams like that,” she said soothingly.

“You do?”

Leia smoothed the hair away from Rey’s face and looked very tired.  “I’ve made a lot of mistakes trying to handle things by myself.  You aren’t alone in this, Rey.  We will protect you.”

“Can you?” she asked a little desperately.  “Can you protect me from him when he’s in my head?”

Pursing her lips, Leia pulled her close and rocked her back and forth slowly until she grew calmer.  “I’m so sorry, Rey,” Leia whispered.

Leaving Jakku wasn’t something she regretted, not really, but it was a concern.  What if her family did come back?  And found her gone?  What would they think?  Would they search for her?  They would think she’d given up on them.  Which she had, she thought guiltily.  Perhaps she could seek out what happened to them, once this was over.

 “How do you do it?” she asked Leia softly.

The older woman moved back slightly to look at her.  “Do what, Rey?”

She bit her lip for a moment, trying to gauge how her question might be received.  “How do you… do you do what you have to when he’s your… your son?”

Sitting up sharply, Leia looked away.  “Did Luke tell you?”

“No.  I… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

Leia was silent for a long moment and Rey fidgeted uncomfortably, feeling terrible.  It wasn’t her place to bring up something this painful, no matter how distressed she was.  She reprimanded herself for her thoughtlessness, not daring to look up at the general.

“I haven’t seen him in a long time,” Leia said suddenly, softly.  “I am… always grateful that my place is at the base, directing our people, where there is no danger of seeing him.  I like to think that, if it came to it, I could give the order to kill him if someone else had the chance.  But I don’t know if that’s true.”

She was talking to herself as much as she was to Rey, and Rey searched unsuccessfully for a response that wouldn’t make things worse.

“I thought Han might have…  Might have had a chance.  He was always…”  Leia shook herself, clearing her throat and focusing her attention on Rey.  “You shouldn’t have to carry this around with you.  He is your enemy and you don’t need to concern yourself with the past.  Tomorrow, we will attack their base with everything we’ve got.  You need to rest.”

So the council had reached a decision.  “Everything?” Rey asked, surprised.  “What if they are waiting for us?”

Leia smiled at her grimly.  “That was considered but we will press onward anyway.  The resources we can acquire if we are successful is worth the risk.  Your luck is the best we’ve had in a long time, and I won’t waste it.”

Trying to picture what being in a full-scale battle would be like, Rey shifted uncomfortably.  “What are my orders?” she asked tentatively.

“My brother tells me you are not ready to do this alone, so he will be joining you.  Your friend Finn will lead a squad to knock out the generators and you two will accompany him.”

“Alright.”

Smiling more kindly, Leia stood up and motioned for Rey to lay back down, tucking her in when she did so.  “You will be briefed in the morning.  Luke and Finn will keep you safe from… whatever might happen.  Get some sleep – it’s going to be a long day,” she warned.

Obediently, Rey settled down and did manage to drift off.  Leia left her room and returned to the chamber down the hall where her brother was waiting, where she had been when they’d been interrupted by Rey’s distress.

“She’s alright,” Leia told him.

Nodding, Luke sat back a little but failed to appear more relaxed.  “We shouldn’t be asking this of her.”

“She wants to help, Luke.  I’m sure you can imagine what leaving her behind would do to her,” Leia replied as she sank into the chair, feeling older than usual.

He pursed his lips.  “You’re right.  I just…  I’d rather not expose her to all of this.”

With a nod, she reached up to start taking down her hair.  “She’s been exposed.  To more than we understand, it seems.  All we can do now is help her.”

Gravely, he got to his feet and kissed his sister’s cheek.  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said quietly before heading to his own room to wait for morning.

 

Rey was up early, even compared to the other Resistance soldiers.  She practiced her meditation and a few forms with the lightsaber all before she heard anyone stirring.  Her stomach was growling, so she went to get breakfast.  After loading up her plate with one of everything, she was delighted to find Finn and Poe just arriving.  They exchanged pleasantries while getting their own breakfast.

“So, big day, huh?” Poe offered as he picked a table.

“Yeah,” Finn replied distantly.

Poe gave Rey a wink, and then bumped Finn’s elbow, bringing him back to the present.  “Focus on food. There’ll be plenty of time for that later,” he advised.

“You’re nervous?” Rey asked quietly, and Finn offered her a smile.

“A little.  It’s understandable, right?”

Rey nodded, wondering how much experience her friend had.  More than she did, certainly – her only experience like this was shooting at a few Stormtroopers on Takodana.  He’d at least been more part of the fray there, from what she’d heard.  “Are you, Poe?”

He stopped eating to look offended at the question, then smiled.  “Of course.  I’d be crazy not to be.  I don’t have some Force-powers or an old Jedi keeping me company today,” he added.  “Definitely envying you guys.”

“Yeah, you just get to fly over our heads while we’re on the ground, dodging rubble,” Finn agreed convincingly, and Rey laughed.

A hush spread over the crowd as General Organa entered and stood at the front of the room.  “My friends, we have an opportunity today thanks to the tireless work of our agents.  Our enemy has gone to ground and we will root them out.  We have suffered long enough, and we cannot leave them unchecked.  Today, we will show them why the Empire fell in the first place.”

There were cheers of agreement, and Rey felt a swell of pride as she looked at Leia and at her friends.  She was no one, a scavenger from Jakku, but she had the opportunity to make a difference here, for the galaxy, for her… for her family.


	10. Stay With Me, Safe and Ignorant

The sound of his boots against the hard floors seemed louder than usual and he felt – different.  He couldn’t put a name to it, but something was definitely different.  Hopefully it meant he’d been successful in what he’d set out to do, but he would have to wait and see.  Next time…  Next time he might have to be a little more mindful of what might be expected of him afterward, as he felt wiped out.

Arriving at the door to the viewing room, he paused to collect his scattered thoughts before sweeping inside.  The officers and technicians stationed there glanced at him nervously as he headed for the most senior of them.  “Yes?” he growled.

The man looked nervous – didn’t they always? – and motioned hesitantly toward one of the consoles.  “A message, sir.”

Expecting it to be something from Snoke, he was surprised to see the flickering holo of Iton Ran, one of the Knights of Ren.  It was more than unexpected since they were pledged to follow Leader Snoke and did not seek each other out.  Furrowing his brow as he drew closer, he wondered if perhaps he should send the people in the room away to hear what she had to say.

“Master Ren.  Forgive me the irregularity, but I have found something that will be of interest to you.”

“Leave me,” he ordered the room, and they were quick to do as asked.  When it was empty, he turned his attention back to the console.  “What is it?”

She shifted her weight and the holo flickered again – he wondered where she was that the signal would be so poor.  “I have tracked the Millennium Falcon, sir, to a planet called Ahch-To before it disappeared again.  There appear to be ruins of a temple here, and a recent residence.”

“It’s been vacated?”

“Yes, sir.  Not for more than a month, though,” she added, looking around her.

Clenching his fists, he gave her a nod in response to her report.

“I have been unable to reach Leader Snoke.  What are your orders, sir?”

He considered.  Snoke would want to know about the temple, about where Skywalker had been.  It was possible that he might be able to learn more about their enemy if he were there in person to inspect the location.  And it was troubling that she had been out of contact with their leader.  An insidious thought occurred to him about what else might happen if he told Snoke and he pushed it away quickly.

“Sir?”

“Learn what you can, but don’t stay long.  I think…  If Skywalker has returned, we will need our full strength to face him.  Find the others and I will send for you.”

“Yes, sir.”  She bent her head and the image vanished.

Taking a step back, he grimaced at what he’d just done, anxious that Snoke would deem it inappropriate.  But the Knights were adept at finding Jedi and eliminating them, and he did not think it wise to underestimate their enemy.  Skywalker had defeated the last of the Sith single-handedly long ago.

He left the room abruptly and headed for his quarters.  The distress from his earlier work returned as soon as he entered, and he wavered, closing his eyes.  Unexpectedly, a familiar silhouette – his father’s – appeared in his mind’s eye, and he was about to pull himself away sharply when he felt something else.  Turning the vision around, he saw – the girl!  She was with him on the bridge, recoiling.  Then she vanished.  Opening his eyes, he frowned deeply.  What was that?

Slowly, he sank onto the floor and proceeded to meditate.  For once, it was effective and he was surprised by how much more powerful he felt when he was done.  Turning over his hands, he stared at them thoughtfully.  Then he reached out and felt like he could do anything he wanted with the slightest gesture.  Getting to his feet, he headed to the training rooms to push his limits.

 

The following morning, his meditation was interrupted by Captain Phasma.  He raised an eyebrow at her and waited.

“Sir, a message from Leader Snoke.  Come with me,” she added.

Getting to his feet fluidly, he followed her to a more private viewing room than where he’d spoken to Iton Ran.  She excused herself and he entered alone.

“Kylo Ren, it is time.  Their fleet is approaching.  Spring the trap,” Snoke said without preamble.

“Yes, Leader.”

“You have done well.  Do not hesitate to destroy our enemies.  None can stand against the full might of the First Order.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Snoke paused, looking hard at him.  “I have always known that you would bring us to victory.  Today is that day.”

“Thank you, Leader.”

The image vanished and he was pleased to find Phasma still waiting outside.  “Give the orders.  We will return to surprise the enemies at our gates,” he told her.

“Yes, sir,” she answered smartly, then turned toward the bridge.

He hung back, thinking.  Thinking of how terrified the girl looked when she saw him.  Thinking of how it was possible for her thoughts to be in his head.  Perhaps…  Perhaps he shouldn’t give up on her quite as quickly as Snoke had.  And the confirmation that Skywalker had returned…  Well, it would be a great help to have her on his side instead of his former master’s.

 

When the ship left hyperspace, he was standing in the hangar, watching the troops prepare for battle.  The planet was fast approaching and he turned to watch the fight already happening in the orbit.  A small contingent of TIE-fighters had been left behind to tempt the Resistance, and their X-Wings were making quick work of them.  Or, they had been.

The arrival of the Finalizer distracted their attention and soon more TIE-fighters were deployed to join the fray.  Captain Phasma oversaw these operations personally, giving orders rapidly over comms as she surveyed the attack from the control room.  The Resistance fighters were old and, refitted though they had been, were hardly a real threat to the Finalizer and her envoy.

So the battle in orbit was soon swayed in favor of the First Order.  Kylo Ren knew better than to assume a victory this early, though.  What was happening on the ground was the real test, as most of the Resistance troops had already been landed and were making headway on the base.  He hadn’t been briefed on that end of things, but he suspected General Hux was leading the defense.  No one else would be entrusted with it.

“Sir, we’re ready,” a Stormtrooper reported, interrupting his analysis of the circumstances.

“Good,” he replied shortly, and headed inside his shuttle.  He was not a pilot – an aerial battle was not his place.  But he could be very useful on the ground, even if he lacked specific orders in that regard.  Captain Phasma was more than capable of running things up here.

The trip to the surface of the planet was dangerous – his shuttle was recognizable and soon became a target for the Resistance.  So he stayed in the cockpit to see to any real threats they might encounter.  One X-wing was on their tail and managed to get off a few shots before the TIE-fighters escorting them had driven it away.  They were hit, but not shot down.  The landing was hard, but in one piece.

Lamenting the lack of a helmet, Kylo Ren ignited his lightsaber and descended from his shuttle.  They were on the edge of the battle and he was about to dive in when he felt something – someone – he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

******************************************************************************

FN-2187 didn’t know any other life but with the First Order.  He’d listened to speeches and watched holos twice a day declaring the superiority of the Galactic Empire, and how terrorists had wrested control of the galaxy from their benevolent leaders.  The great works of the Empire and the First Order were celebrated, and the suffering of the common people under the regime of the New Republic was well-publicized.  He grew up knowing that things were bad and the First Order only wanted to bring the lost galaxy back to its former glory.

He was cleared for combat duty before most of his peers, and Captain Phasma had recommended him personally.  And it wasn’t some irrelevant insurrection he was sent to address – the Supreme Leader’s second in command, Kylo Ren, was leading the expedition.  There were whispers about him, and FN-2187 knew that he did _not_ want to be noticed.  He hoped he would acquit himself well on his first mission.

There was tense silence in their transport as they approached the desert planet of Jakku.  As soon as they touched down, the Stormtroopers surged forward and did what they had been meticulously trained to do.  And he’d tried to join in, but then he watched one of them die.  And this was nothing like the simulations at which he’d excelled.  Reeling, he’d been unable to act, unable to do his duty for the First Order.  One of his superiors put him in the right place, and he was relieved to have orders.  But as he stared at those frightened and helpless villagers, who were willing to lose their lives in an attempt to oppose them, he couldn’t do it.

Doubt was filling him for the first time, and he realized he’d done what he hoped not to – attracted the notice of Kylo Ren.  The power he’d seen him use on the Resistance pilot was impossible, and he’d never seen anything like it.  And now the faceless wraith had stopped and was looking in his direction, and he felt like every thought he ever had was easily read.  Terror took him, but then the creature kept walking.  The blaster bolt finally moved again, striking the building near him, and he’d jumped, having forgotten about it.

Back on the Finalizer, Captain Phasma questioned him and sent him to be reconditioned.  And the process was one he’d been through before.  It didn’t work.  He wanted no part in any of this.  And the Resistance pilot was his ticket out of here forever.  He didn’t know where he would go or what he would do, but anything was better than being part of the First Order – or opposing it, he’d thought.

So he’d escaped and now was watching that same Resistance pilot, now his friend, about to go into a battle that neither of them might survive, against an enemy he’d always thought insurmountable.  “Take care of yourself, Poe,” he said awkwardly, shifting his weight.

Poe smiled at him kindly.  “Same to you, my friend,” he answered, clapping Finn on the back before turning to climb up into his ship.

Finn watched BB-8 being lifted onboard and was reminded of the last man he’d gone into battle alongside.

“Hey, Finn!” Poe shouted, and he looked up sharply.  “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.  We need you to come back.”  His confusion must have shown, because Poe leaned forward to clarify.  “If you run into anyone with a lightsaber, you do not need to engage.  Just shoot him.”

A smile crossed his face at the thought.  As if Poe didn’t know how little effect that would have.  “I’ll keep that in mind,” he promised.

With a nod and a wave, Poe sealed the cockpit and Finn moved back for him to take off.  Then he went to find Rey.  It took some searching in the chaotic mass of people and droids preparing to leave and maybe never come back.  No one else is thinking that way, he told himself firmly once he’d spotted his friend.  She was standing with Luke Skywalker and General Organa and he wondered if he should wait until they were finished to approach.

“Finn!” Rey called, waving once she’d seen him.  Returning her smile, he hurried over.

She was still feeling off-kilter after her nightmare, and she’d gotten much less sleep than was preferable, so was very glad her friend would be joining her.  Leia had said he had a good head for tactics and would be an asset in the field.  Though he hadn’t been stationed at this base, he would be able to guide them to the generators so they could destroy them and cripple their enemy.

Luke didn’t want her to go – he didn’t think she was ready.  She didn’t disagree, but couldn’t have borne to wait behind.  Leia and her chief advisors were staying, also, but they would be directing the battle.  What would Rey do except watch and wait and hope not to see one of her friends die?  Luke’s lightsaber was strapped to her side and she was impatient to go.

She grinned at Finn as he came up to stand beside her, seeming to share her feelings.  “Ready?” she asked quietly so not to disturb Luke and Leia, who were having a last minute discussion about what they were doing.  It was stressing Rey out and she was very glad of a distraction.

“As I’ll ever be,” Finn told her honestly.  “Poe told me not to try to fight anyone with a lightsaber again.”

Her smile was tight with worry.  “It didn’t end well,” she agreed.

Hesitantly, he patted her shoulder.  “It was a joke, Rey.  I’m sure we won’t… that it won’t be necessary.”

Nodding, she glanced over at Luke, who made eye contact.  Giving her a nod, he turned back to his sister.  “Fine, Leia.  Let’s go,” he relented.

Leia turned to look at Finn and smiled in greeting.  “Be careful.  Come home after,” she told the three of them.

Then they were on the Millennium Falcon and she was in the pilot seat.  Chewbacca was the copilot, and Finn and Luke sat behind them.  There was tense silence as they flew through hyperspace toward the base.  Dropping out of lightspeed at the last possible moment, she focused on avoiding the aerial battle that had just broken out and headed for the planet’s surface.  The full force of the Resistance had not arrived yet, and the X-wings that had were providing cover for the Falcon to get through.

Once they’d landed, she pulled out the blaster Han had given her and followed Finn outside to join with their support squad.  “This way,” Finn ordered, motioning.  It was likely that the First Order would soon send someone to investigate their presence and they needed to have gotten underground before then.  The march through the forest did little to settle Rey’s nerves, and she glanced at Finn and at Luke frequently for reassurance.

“You’ve done this before?” she whispered to Luke, who pulled himself out of his brown study to smile at her.

“Infiltrated an enemy base?  Not in a long time.  I’m sure we’ll be fine,” he added.

Nodding, she focused again on their path, hoping that her part in this could be largely technical.  Piloting and shorting out some of their defensive measures was something she could do, had always been able to do.  She wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea of taking on the enemy while flying, but it currently seemed preferable to being down here, tramping through the woods and trying not to think about someone sneaking up on them.  Even the shocking amount of green, though less than on Takodana, did nothing to distract her.

It didn’t take too long for them to find a way into the underground base – the heat signatures were not apparent from space, but could be read and followed on the ground.  Their goal was to find the generators that powered the facility using the heat of the mantle and sabotage them.  Further reconnaissance missions could not be risked after she and Poe had found the place, so it felt a lot like running in blind.  Which was perhaps what was bothering Luke.

   Somehow, being underground made Rey feel a little better.  Better than in the woods, anyway.  It was an access tunnel of some sort, likely for maintenance, and it could be hoped that it would lead them somewhere useful.  The discussion of this mostly went ignored by Rey, who was finding it difficult to focus.  They came around a corner, revealing a vast cavern, and they all paused to take it in.

“What are these?” Rey asked Luke quietly as they continued to move through what was clearly some kind of mine.

“Kyber crystals.  They’re used in lightsabers.  And, apparently, some of the First Order’s weapons,” he added, looking troubled.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered, lowering her voice.

Luke shook his head as though shaking off some unwanted thought.  “Hmm?  Oh, only Force-users can reliably handle the crystals.  So it’s possible that they have more of those than we thought.”

Frowning, she continued walking, trying to figure out what that meant.  The only sound was the echo of their feet off the cold stone corridors and she tried to push away her feeling of unease.  Until she realized it was something else she was feeling.  Turning around to tell Luke, she was shocked to find that he was no longer following her.


	11. Just Stay With Me, Hold You and Protect You From the Other Ones

Skywalker was here.  But not in the battle.  So what was he up to?  Closing his eyes to focus, Kylo Ren carefully scanned the area in search of the Last Jedi and could feel nothing.  No indication of his presence, no thoughts concerning him.  But he could sense something, so he headed in her direction.

The Resistance attempted to engage him, as they had in the air, and he deflected easily any blaster bolts that came his way, having more important things to address.  His trajectory took him to the gates of the base, where General Hux and his men were repelling the invading force.  Not very well – the blast doors had been damaged so nothing kept the Resistance out except manpower.

People from both sides moved out of his way as he walked through them, and those who got too close were pushed back viciously.  He passed through the enemy’s line and then through his own while paying very little attention to what was happening.  He wasn’t going to lose track of her again.  And if Skywalker was with her…  Well, it would be good to have that resolved, too.

“Ren, didn’t expect you,” Hux said tightly as his rival stalked by the hill from which he was scanning the field, formulating a plan for their offensive.  The aerial support was much appreciated and would turn the fight in their favor.  As it was, his troops were spread thin and he was thinking he might actually welcome the help of the Snoke’s apprentice.  Not that he was disappointed when the man showed no signs of slowing once he was through the lines.

“General,” Kylo Ren replied dismissively, intent on his agenda, whatever it was.  But then he stopped suddenly and turned, extending his arm with carefully controlled violence.

Hux was shocked by the wave of power that washed over him and he looked up.  A Resistance soldier had broken through, perhaps in Ren’s wake, and was aiming right for the general.  And had managed to get off a shot before Ren had stopped him, and it.  Hux blinked as he stared at the crackling, immobile bolt of energy.  Glancing at Ren, he motioned for his men to take care of the assailant.

“Thank you,” he said stiffly.

A sardonic look crossed Ren’s face and he waved it off.  “It won’t stay there once I’m gone.  I’d recommend moving out of the way.”

“Where are you going?”

Raising an eyebrow, Ren looked him up and down in a way that made him feel like he had spoken out of turn.  “Skywalker is here.  I’m going to find him,” he said flatly.

Hux whirled around to look at the base, then back at Ren.  “The mines?  The generator?” he guessed.

Ren shrugged elaborately.  “Perhaps the general will allow me to go find out,” he growled.

“Yes, of course.”  He considered saying more, but didn’t, so Ren disappeared through the damaged doors.

Inside the base was quieter, having been emptied prior to and in preparation of the battle.  Snoke had moved everything truly important to other locations, though he hoped not to lose this one.  The readily available kyber crystals were a great resource that could not be easily found somewhere else.  Not that they were worth enough to him to stay and oversee the siege, of course.  There were other matters to which he must attend, apparently.

His hunt took him deep inside the facility, down lower than he had ever been.  Still, he moved unfalteringly forward.  The mines were large and labyrinthine, and would provide an excellent location for what he hoped to accomplish.  His comm crackled suddenly, and he practically snarled when he answered it.

“Yes?”

“Sir, General Hux seems overwhelmed.  Should we send reinforcements?” Captain Phasma asked.

“Yes.  Report to the General for orders, Phasma,” he added shortly.

“Yes, sir.”

It took some effort not to throw the device from him or break it, but reason won out and he kept it on his person.  Hopefully it would not reveal his presence before he wished to do so.  He turned off his lightsaber and tucked it into his belt as he searched briefly through the caverns nearby.  Then he settled on the floor to focus on what he wanted.

The girl was here, too, he thought idly.  Would Skywalker bring her?  Or would he come alone to face him?  It would depend on his motives – if he brought her, the intention would be to kill him or at least capture him.  If he didn’t…  Well, then Skywalker was testing himself and didn’t want the girl to have to suffer the consequences of that test.

Finally, there he was.  He looked much older, tired, but showed resolve.  His eyes were bright as he surveyed the cavern before moving forward.  The girl did not feel nearby.

“Ben.”

“Uncle.”  Kylo Ren stood up but didn’t reach for his lightsaber.  Skywalker had been using his to light the path, but now he let it rest in a nonthreatening position.

“You summoned?”

Smiling grimly, he could no longer hold still and paced a little.  “You came out of exile.  I didn’t expect to see you in battle so soon.”

“Why not?”

Pausing to gauge the expression on his former master’s face, he shook his head slightly.  “Because of how the last battle went.”

“Maybe that’s why I’m here.”

“Oh, I’m sure that’s why you came here now,” he snapped.  Then took a breath to calm himself.  “Did my mother send you?”

“She didn’t need to.”

“You know, she sent my father to me, too.  Did you hear how that went?” he asked cruelly, and saw a reaction on Skywalker’s face at last.

Luke’s fingers tightened on his lightsaber and anger flickered across his expression, but he didn’t otherwise move.  “I did,” he answered after he’d calmed down again.

“And you thought I’d appreciate your interference more than his?”

“No.”

Kylo Ren stopped abruptly, facing Skywalker.  “Then you’ve come to kill me?”

Pained but resolute, Skywalker looked his nephew up and down.  “That depends on you.”

“I see.  If I’m willing to come quietly, you’ll put me in shackles and take me home to my mother.  Where I’ll stand trial for my crimes against the galaxy and can only hope that my poor, dear parent is not going to have to give the order for my execution.  Am I getting this right so far?”

Skywalker said nothing, and Kylo Ren smiled, the scar on his face twisting uncomfortably.

“Or I could face you here and force you to kill me.  Get you angry enough to go over to the Dark Side.  And then you’d serve my master in my place?”

“No,” Skywalker said sharply.

“Is that why the girl isn’t with you?  So she doesn’t have to witness anything that might turn her?  She is very powerful.  And untrained.  I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how fragile a state that is.  So easy for the Dark Side to take hold in someone young and unprepared, don’t you think?” he continued relentlessly.

“Ben, please,” was the anguished response.

“Why did you come back, Uncle?” Kylo Ren demanded, body rigid with anger.

Skywalker’s shoulders tensed but he looked calmly at his nephew.  “Because someone has to own up for what happened.”

“Let’s see who it is, then,” he replied resignedly as he pulled out and ignited his lightsaber.  Skywalker gave a nod, just like he used to, when they would practice fighting all those years ago.  This time, though, neither of them held back.

******************************************************************************

“Finn!  Luke’s disappeared!” Rey cried, causing the squad to come to a halt.

Finn moved back to them to look around, as though the Jedi might just be behind the last curve.  “When did you last see him?” he asked Rey, turning to face her.

“I don’t know!  We were talking about the crystals and then…  Then he was just gone,” she told him mournfully, panic and shame filling her.  How was she ever going to help the Resistance if she couldn’t keep track of one man?

“It’s going to be okay, Rey.  I’m sure he can handle himself.  Let’s just continue with the mission,” Finn told her soothingly, touching her shoulder.

She began to nod, to be calmed, but then she considered the familiar presence she was feeling.  “Wait, Finn!  He’s here.  Kylo Ren’s here and Luke must have gone to face him!  We have to help!” she insisted, gaze alternating between him and Chewbacca.

Looking torn, Finn glanced toward the rest of the squad, who all looked uncomfortable, then back to Rey.  “We have to finish this, Rey.  They’re depending on us.”  Her face fell.  “Alright, why don’t you and Chewie go look for him – just reconnaissance, Rey!  And call as soon as you find him,” he offered hesitantly, clearly unhappy at the thought of being separated.

Chewbacca reinforced Finn’s statement, looking at her intently.

Jumping at the chance, she nodded and immediately headed off to find Luke.  Finn shook his head after her, worrying at his lip, before resuming his role as the leader of the squad.  Rey made her way down the corridors at just short of a run – she wasn’t worried about missing her master in her rush, or of losing the Wookiee.  From the nearly overwhelming feelings that weren’t hers but were in her head anyway, she didn’t have a lot of time.

She skidded to a stop, motioning for Chewbacca to do the same, when she came to the cavern lit by chaotic green and red – the lightsabers clashed, sending sparks.  Unlike her own fight on Starkiller base, they seemed evenly matched and neither were giving any ground.  Kylo Ren’s style was much more aggressive and reckless than Luke’s, and seemed more intent on causing bodily harm.  She thought of how he’d burned Finn’s shoulder, but couldn’t see any burns on Luke.

Kylo Ren was unmasked and the wound she’d given him almost distracted her from the thought of the dejected child she’d seen in her nightmare.  Almost.  But she couldn’t drive away the feeling of pity, or the thought that she, too, knew what it was like to be left behind by your family and not understand why.  To be alone and afraid, trying to figure out what you did to drive them away.  I’m not like him, she told herself firmly.  She wouldn’t betray those she loved, or kill them to further her own ends – even if he was tormented by the choice afterward.

Her hands clenched to her sides and tried to figure out what to do – just running out there with her lightsaber was not the best plan, more than likely.  And just shooting at Luke’s assailant…  That didn’t seem like a good idea, either.  Motioning for Chewie to stay where he was, she slowly crept closer and became aware that they were speaking.

“You rely too much on Form 3,” Kylo Ren said as he almost got through Luke’s guard.

“You don’t use 6 anymore?” Luke responded, almost conversationally despite the grim determination on his face.  On both of their faces.

The scar cutting through his features twisted as Kylo Ren smiled slightly.  “Oh, I do.”  Reaching out with his off-hand, he used the Force to drive Luke back a few meters.

To Rey’s surprise, Luke almost smiled back before closing the distance between them quickly.  “That always was your favorite.”

Kylo Ren paused suddenly, nearly losing a hand before blocking at the last second.  “Your girl is here,” he said dispassionately.

Luke was similarly distracted and Kylo Ren took advantage of it, but almost as an afterthought – her terror seemed unfounded when Luke turned back to block before he was in any real danger.  “Rey, I’ve got this.  Go help Finn,” Luke ordered.

Though she wasn’t exactly hiding, she was still surprised when Kylo Ren glanced her way, especially when his guarded expression dropped for a moment.  “Luke,” she murmured beseechingly, wishing he could just come back with her and they would stop.

“Rey, now,” Luke repeated tensely.

“So protective,” Kylo Ren commented harshly, recovering himself, and Luke narrowly avoided a slash to his side.

“Leave her out of this,” he snapped, and Rey hadn’t expected him to sound so… well, so protective, as his ex-student had pointed out.  People being interested in her safety was a new situation for her but she’d have to dwell on it later.

“I’ve heard that before,” was the angry response as Kylo Ren twisted around and managed to land a hit on Luke’s arm.

He cried out in pain, but dodged enough to keep from losing the appendage.  Retreating quickly, he held his lightsaber up again and defended himself.  “She was just worried about you,” Luke explained and it took Rey a moment to realize they were referring to someone else – to Leia, she supposed.

“Yes, and we can see how that turned out.”

Another well-aimed slash drove Luke back further, wincing but not gravely injured.  “Ben…  We only ever wanted to help you.”

Swinging his weapon around, Kylo Ren caught Luke’s using the crossguards and pulled so that their faces were close together.  “Only one of you ever succeeded,” he snarled before sliding his blade down until it sparked against Luke’s metal hand.

Luke dropped his lightsaber and jumped back, hastily retreating from Kylo Ren’s reach (not an easy task, given their respective heights) while stretching for his weapon.  Reacting quickly, Rey threw him the one he’d given her, and he gave her nod, igniting it just in time to keep from losing his head.

“No fair,” Kylo Ren stated, sounding amused.

“Perhaps you should have brought an apprentice,” Luke responded levelly.

Kylo Ren glanced at her again, then back at Luke.  “Perhaps I have,” he suggested.

Luke understood the implications and she could feel an unexpected amount of anger radiating from him.  “You can’t have her, Ben.”  His voice was dangerous and he attacked with renewed vigor.

Rey, defenseless, watched in mute horror as she felt a shift in them.  No, not in them – in the ground!  The generators – Finn must have been successful.  Too successful because now the mine was about to collapse.  Surveying the room, it struck her that her teacher and her… enemy were not paying attention to it, both filled with deadly intent.  If Luke killed his own nephew…  Would he be as haunted as the man in question was for killing Han?  Would it take him down a dark path from which he could not return?

Looking up, she saw cracks forming in the roof of the cavern and could predict what would happen to the distracted men fighting before her.  Reaching out, she pushed with all her strength and managed to drive them apart as crumbling rock crashed down where they had just been standing.

The effort left her breathless and she bent over, hands on knees, while she recovered.  When she stood up, she realized she had miscalculated.  The cave-in had effectively separated the two combatants, but she was on the wrong side.

Kylo Ren was standing there, looking at the rubble with a heavy frown while he caught his breath.  Then he slashed at it ineffectually with his lightsaber a few times before turning to her, seeming calmer.  Disregarding that, she pulled out her blaster and levelled it at him.

His expression was not unlike how he’d stared when she’d successfully summoned Luke’s lightsaber to her the last time they’d met, and she didn’t know what to make of that.  “You’re not going to kill me,” he stated, almost gently.

Glaring, she took a few steps back, relieved that the ground was no longer shaking and considering making a run for it.  “How do you know?”

He smiled slightly.  “You didn’t have to push us apart.”

“Maybe I just wanted to save Luke from having to kill you,” she countered.

“It would have been more effective if you’d let my surroundings kill me.  Now someone else has to,” he said reasonably, as if they were discussing the weather.

She didn’t answer, just kept an eye on him while she looked for a way out of here that wouldn’t involve turning her back on him.

Startlingly, he took a step toward her and she focused on him again.  “You no longer want me dead,” he said slowly, as though surprised.

“Get out of my head,” she snapped.

“Get out of mine,” he replied amiably.

Her eyes narrowed as she assessed him and he did nothing to stop her.  He was frustrated not to have finished his fight with Luke.  She was skeptical, but it seemed like his distress did not stem from being unable to kill his former master.  It was something else that she couldn’t place without delving further.  He was worried about… about his mother.  And about his own weakening resolve.  He hated himself and wanted this to be over, but her existence gave him hope.

She drew back sharply, shaking her head to clear it.  “What do you want from me?”

“Your help.”

“Why me?”

“Because you can do what I cannot.”


	12. The Evil Ones Don't Love You, Son, Go Back to Sleep

That went better than expected, he thought as he made his way out of the mines.  The building was collapsing around him and he moved quickly.  It was clear that the base was lost – the Resistance had been underestimated yet again.  He was growing tired of that.  They gained power each day and the First Order pretended that they were hardly a threat.  The galaxy would soon be embroiled in a messy civil war because they hadn’t been able to stop a handful of terrorists before they became too influential.

When he reached the surface, he found General Hux attempting a last offensive.

“Retreat,” he ordered angrily as soon as he was within earshot.

“Ren?  You’ve heard from Leader Snoke?” the general asked in surprise, looking him up and down skeptically.

Snorting, Kylo Ren swept passed him.  “We will not win this.  They’ve destroyed the base.  It’s time to go.”

“I would not like to face our Leader as failures.”

Having reached the lines, Kylo Ren swept out his arm and the Resistance soldiers were thrown back.  Then he turned to look at Hux.  “If he prefers us dead, he can do that himself.  I won’t give anyone here the satisfaction.”

Wide-eyed, Hux gave the order and hurried to catch up to this new version of his rival, thinking that perhaps he’d underestimated him.

Kylo Ren made his way through the battle, power fueled by emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.  No one stayed in his path for long regardless of the side for which they fought.  Blaster bolts were frozen and people were swept aside without a second thought as he focused on reaching his shuttle.  Once he’d gotten to the ramp, he was surprised to find Hux close on his heels.  They boarded and both stood in the cockpit, watching in silence as the overrun base faded from sight.

“Snoke will be unhappy with us,” Hux offered quietly.

Kylo Ren looked at him sharply, not expecting to hear himself referred to as part of the same group as his rival.  A thought crossed his mind and he cocked his head as he considered it.  “Perhaps he should be unhappy with his choice of plans for defense.”

After frowning briefly, Hux nodded hesitantly.  “It was a risky plan.”

“And he shouldn’t have expected us to be successful.”

“No, he shouldn’t have.”

“I’m sure you would have had a much better plan.”

“I should have been consulted.”

Hiding a smile, Kylo Ren turned back to the view.  “You’re certainly right, General Hux.  If we’d used your tactical skills, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

Hux stood up a little taller and nodded smartly.  “We wouldn’t have sustained these heavy losses and would have kept the valuable resources here.”

“As I was saying,” Kylo Ren agreed placidly.  “Next time…  Next time you should be trusted to act on your instincts.  Instead of having to follow orders.”

“Thank you, Ren.”

They lapsed into companionable silence until they’d reached the Finalizer.  Then Kylo Ren headed for his own quarters.  By the time he’d reached them, the retreat was over and they were in hyperspace, on their way to report to Supreme Leader Snoke.  For the first time he could remember, he felt like the warring voices in his head were silent.  There was no doubt in his mind about what to do next.

The trip to Snoke took a long time.  They moved in a roundabout fashion so that they couldn’t be followed.  He spent his days working on a new lightsaber using the last of the kyber crystals they had on board.  Captain Phasma and General Hux kept themselves busy, and he spent enough time with them to get a good read on how they felt about the most recent orders they’d received.

His nightmares were gone, replaced by dreams of a desert – and an island.  Meditation brought him peace and he was calm when they reached Snoke.  As before, he was granted immediate audience.  Phasma and Hux went with him to give their reports.

“Another failure, I see,” Snoke growled as they entered.  “Kylo Ren has shown his weakness before, but I did not expect either of you to follow him into it.”

“We followed orders, sir,” Phasma answered coolly.

Frowning, Snoke turned his attention to Hux.  “Report, General.”

“Our losses were heavy.  All our remaining forces filled the Finalizer to only one-third capacity.  Only a handful of TIE-fighters survived the onslaught, and less than half of our troop transports returned.  The loss of a base in that sector will have strong negative effects on our strategic superiority over the Resistance.”

Snoke nodded dismissively.  “Captain Phasma, anything to add?”

“Morale is low, sir.  We will have deserters if another victory cannot be obtained quickly.”

“Do you see, Kylo Ren, what happens when you allow your mind to be clouded?  When you allow yourself to be distracted by a mere girl?” Snoke asked, turning toward his student and ignoring the other two.

“I do,” he replied levelly.

Snoke got to his feet and paced around angrily.  “You were to kill her.  You faced Skywalker and allowed yourself to be defeated.  Either of their deaths would have been a significant blow for the Resistance.  Instead, you were the one to lose.  I am growing tired of your failures.”

He paused, looking at Kylo Ren carefully.  Then he moved closer to speak more gently.  “I know what I am asking of you.  I know what a struggle it is for you.  But you must show your strength if we are to succeed.  Your power is unequalled and you can bring us to victory.  If you can bring yourself to destroy our enemies,” he added, voice harsher.

Kylo Ren said nothing, just continued to stare straight ahead.  When Snoke moved closer, he almost flinched away.

“You’ve changed,” Snoke said suspiciously.  “What has Skywalker done to you?”

“Nothing.  Leader.”

The scowl on the older man’s face deepened.  “I have known you your entire life.  I know what you are capable of becoming.  Do you doubt me now, after all these years?”

“No, Leader.”

Satisfied, Snoke continued his pacing.  “I am only seeking to help you, of course.  It is difficult to sever compassion, once it is allowed to grow.  I warned you about the girl.  I did not expect Skywalker to be an issue.”

“He wasn’t.”

“Then why is he still alive?”

Kylo Ren shifted his weight, aware of their audience.  “There was a complication.”

Ignoring him, Snoke looked toward Hux and Phasma, who were staring straight ahead while at attention.  “There is another matter we must address,” he continued, seeming to be assessing the other two while he spoke to his student.

“Yes, Leader.”

“Iton Ren is here.  She said you called for her and the other Knights of Ren.  Why would you do that, Kylo?”

He didn’t answer immediately, and Snoke’s attention returned to him sharply.  “No one is better at hunting down Jedi.  Our combined efforts –”

“Are you not pledged to me?”

Eyes narrowing at the interruption, Kylo Ren nodded.  “Yes, Leader.”

“Pledged to change the galaxy under my guidance?”

“Yes, Leader.”

“You are the Master of the Knights.  But, though your power is great, you are not ready to lead on your own.  My guidance will bring you to victory.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Slowly, Snoke returned to his throne.  “I have only ever acted in your best interest, Kylo Ren.  I saw your potential as a child and have sought to bring you to it.  Your parents and your uncle wanted to keep you weak, tractable.  But I’ve always wanted more than that for you.  I know I have asked a lot of you, but it will be worth it in the end.  When the galaxy belongs to the First Order, you will see how the sacrifices you have made will be honored.”

“Yes, Leader.”

Settling down comfortably, Snoke pursed his lips as he surveyed his servants.  “Can you find the girl again?”

“Leader?” Kylo Ren questioned, heart starting to pound.  He knew, Snoke knew…

“You seek her out.  I’m afraid a lesson must be made of her.  If she will not turn willingly…  I am certain that your skills can be used to make her loyal to us, if given enough time.  And if they kill her instead, well, that is no great loss.”

His fingers tightened into fists.

“I’m sure you will be able to break her.  She has taken much from you.  Without her getting involved, your father would still be alive.”

Kylo Ren’s brow furrowed and he shook his head sharply.  “That’s not true,” he whispered.

“Hmm?” Snoke asked, leaning forward, expression fraught with malice.

Standing tall, Kylo Ren reached for his belt.  “My father is dead because of you,” he said flatly.  Startled, Snoke got to his feet.  But Kylo Ren was too fast for him, closing the distance between them and igniting his lightsaber in one fluid motion.  Pressing the blade to his former master’s neck, he paused.  “Do you know why you’ve failed?” he asked, echoing the words Snoke had so often addressed to him.

Snoke shot a terrified look at Hux and Phasma, who remained motionless throughout the exchange.  “No,” he answered, too surprised to try to craft one of his speeches.

“You should have completed my training yourself instead of always testing me.  Your test failed, _Leader_ ,” he snarled.

“Please, I’ll give you anything,” Snoke begged, eyes wide with fear.

“You have nothing I want,” Kylo Ren replied coldly and, in one swift motion, cut off his head.  Kicking the body out of the throne, he ascended the dais to settle into it.  “Phasma, have this removed.  Hux, send me my Knights.”

“Yes, Leader.”

******************************************************************************

Her hands were shaking as she ran through the corridors in search of Finn or Luke or any of her allies.  Though she was still armed with a blaster, she didn’t think she could avoid being killed or captured if she ran into any First Order soldiers.  There was no way to know how the battle had been going and she did not want to get stuck down here if the base were destroyed.

A blue light up ahead made her slow down, but only for a moment.  “Luke!” she cried, relieved to see him, especially when Chewbacca was standing behind him.

“Rey!” he called back, embracing her as soon as she got close enough.  Then he pulled back slightly to look at her.  “Are you alright?” he asked searchingly.

“Yes.  I’m fine, Luke, I promise.  Let’s get out of here.”

His expression was skeptical, but he nodded.  “This way, I think.”

The three of them made their way through the twisting rocks as quickly as possible, searching for the way out.  It occurred to her, as they ran, that the rubble was significantly less prevalent here even though they were getting closer to where Finn and his squad had presumably completed their part of the mission.  There was no time to dwell on that now, as they soon found the hatch – and found it blocked.

“What do we do?” she asked, aware of the panic in her voice.

Luke put his hand on her shoulder gently.  “We push,” he suggested.

Nodding, she started forward, and he stopped her.  “What?”

“Not like that.”  He held up his hands toward the obstacle and closed his eyes.  Understanding immediately, she did the same.

It took an effort, and, after the encounter with Kylo Ren, both were exhausted by the process.  She hoped they wouldn’t run into any other problems before they reached the relative safety of their ship.  The woods were quiet, though the sounds of battle echoed off the trees in a haunting way.  They did not run, given the unevenness of the ground and the toll being here had already taken, but did their best to move quickly.

“Rey!” a shout made her stop, and she turned abruptly.

“Finn!” she cried happily, breaking into a run.

He was alone, just further down the path, and she nearly knocked him over when she caught up to him.  Luke followed more slowly, hiding a smile.

“I was so worried!” Finn told her, hugging her hard.

“I’m sorry,” she answered, guilt washing over her.  “I should have sent you a message…”

He pulled back to look at her.  “Yes, you should have,” he told her sternly.  Then smiled.  “But we did it!  We won!  They’re retreating!”

She followed his gesture and saw some transport ships disappearing into the sky.  “That’s great, Finn!”

“Once they started to leave, I came back to look for you.  We were able to blow the generators without you and that made it hard for them to counter us.  So we drove them off, and now we’re organizing a way to get as many of their resources as possible.”  He paused, looking passed them.  “Did it all cave in?” he asked, concerned.

“No, just some parts.  We’re fine,” she added when his expression didn’t change.

“Oh, good.  Are you alright?” Finn wanted to know, looking at Luke sharply.

The older man had been studying the burn on his arm, but he met Finn’s gaze with a smile.  “Yes.  Nothing to be concerned about.”

Finn looked skeptical.  “You found him, then?  Kylo Ren,” he added softly, as if saying it too loudly would summon him.

“Yes.  Why don’t we join the others and we can chat when we leave here?” Luke asked, and Rey didn’t miss the way he looked at her.  He would want to hear what happened when they got separated.

Nodding in agreement, Finn turned and led the way toward the rest of their people.  When they reached the edge of the battle, Rey stopped short, shocked by the chaos and agony she could still feel.  Luke touched her shoulder to calm her and she gave him a thankful nod.  The four of them leant a hand where ever possible – helping the wounded, searching for resources, inventorying.

By the time the day was over, Rey felt more exhausted than she could ever remember being, except for maybe that time she’d had to wait out a sandstorm and hadn’t been able to barter for portions for a few days.  Once they were back on the Millennium Falcon, she dropped into the pilot’s chair and wasn’t sure she could stay awake to get them home.  But Chewbacca was reassuring, as always, and she smiled at him.

Finn was asleep and Luke was deep in thought for the trip.  Chewbacca also said little, so Rey was alone with her thoughts, new and unsettling at those were.  It was a quite a relief when they finally landed.  Unsurprisingly, at least to Rey, Leia was standing just outside, waiting for them.  She no doubt had plenty of other duties, and Rey wasn’t sure how to feel about her being here instead.  Especially when she wordlessly swept Rey into her arms, like she had when they’d first met.

“Glad you’re in one piece,” Leia murmured before moving back to see her brother.

“Your worries were foundless,” Luke said lightly, but winced when she brushed against the burn on his arm.

Looking at him reproachfully, she bent to inspect it more closely.  “A lightsaber did this,” she said gravely.

Luke didn’t answer the unspoken question, and she frowned at him.

“Finn!” a voice interrupted them, and they all turned to see Poe Dameron hurrying over.

“Poe!  I saw a lot of ships go down – I was pretty worried about you,” Finn answered once his friend had gotten closer.

“He’s the best pilot we have,” Leia said fondly.  “We never have to worry about him getting back to us.”

Poe looked embarrassed at the praise, and proceeded to embrace or shake hands with everyone to get the attention off of him.

“I’m sure you’re all hungry.  Poe, take them inside.  I am glad to see you all returned safely, but I have some matters that require my attention,” Leia stated, her expression not unlike her brother’s had been when he expected Rey to talk about her experiences more.

They did not need to be told twice, and Rey was not the only one who was immensely relieved to be sitting at the dinner table soon after.  The atmosphere in the hall was a relieved sort of exhausted, with little chatter as everyone made up for the meals they had missed.  Rey had finally eaten her fill and was considering how much longer she could possibly stay awake when Leia came into the room.

“We did good work today, everyone.  The war has turned in our favor and we will drive our advantage until they crumble.  Thank you for your efforts – get some rest.  It’s not over yet.”

There were ragged cheers, which made her smile slightly, and she headed over to sit with her brother.  “What happened?” she asked without preamble.

The other people at their table all looked politely elsewhere, and Rey shifted uncomfortably.  Luke looked up from the food at which he’d been picking.  “He was there, waiting.”

“So Finn and his squad were there to protect you?” Leia asked archly.

His gaze dropped back to the table.  “No.”

“Because you sent them on ahead and took Rey or Chewie with you?”

“No.”

Exasperated, Leia swore under her breath.  “So you went to face him alone?  After what happened to – after what happened?  What would I have done if he hurt you?  What would I have done if he killed you?  What would I have done?” she demanded, voice lowering in carefully restrained anger.

Luke didn’t answer, just stared at the plate in front of him.

Looking between the two of them, Rey considered whether or not she should interject.

“I’m fine, Leia,” Luke said finally.  “We were separated.”

“By what?”

Lifting his eyes to meet Rey’s, he raised an eyebrow.  Leia followed his gaze, and Rey swallowed.  “There was a cave-in,” she offered, uncertain of what they wanted.

“You caused it, Rey,” Luke explained gently.  “Why?”

Surprised, her brow furrowed in confusion.  She’d felt it – felt the ground moving.  And that’s what made the roof fall.  Except… except maybe she’d just been upset and worried and done it herself?  Chewing at her lip, she tried to remember exactly what happened.

“It’s alright, Rey,” Leia told her.

“Luke was angry, and I was… I was afraid he might give in and kill him.  And that he might not… might not be able to come back from that,” she explained slowly.

Leia exchanged a look with her brother, then patted Rey’s shoulder.  “That was a good thing you did, Rey.  Showing compassion is part of being on the Light Side – losing it puts you on the Dark.  Thank you for saving my brother,” she said earnestly.  Leaning forward, she whispered so that only Rey could hear.  “And my son.”

Blushing, Rey nodded silently, and talk turned to safer topics while everyone finished eating.  Greatly relieved to be dismissed, she went to her own room and settled down on the floor to meditate.  The first sight of green Takodana always calmed her and she focused on that until she felt her nervousness disappearing.  Things shifted and her feet were on the ancient stone staircase, which she climbed steadily.  At the top, she turned around to stare out across the ocean, musing on how precious and hard to obtain water had always been in her youth.

A noise, or a feeling, maybe, caused her to turn around and see she was not alone.  “Are you ready?” Kylo Ren asked.

“Yes,” she replied resolutely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and comments! I'll post the sequel as soon as I've worked out the kinks :)


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